Sweet Sorrow - Requiem Series Prequel
by nikiallen0119
Summary: Four years before Loki and Jennica's story, there was Winter and Emmeline; a man from Vanaheim and a simple woman of Earth. Destined for their lives to change, for better or worse, till death do they part, they are the reason these stories unfold. Their journey is a story worth telling. This is where it truly began. (Co-author: Dashimusic)
1. Chapter 1: The Home of My Dreams

**A/N: If you haven't already, I greatly encourage you to read book 1 and 2 of the Loki fanfiction series on my page before reading this one. :)**

...

_**A1 Document:**_

_**Name: Winter Ivanson**_

_**Age: Unknown**_

_**Height: 6'0''**_

_**Gender: Male**_

_**Eye Color: Hazel**_

_**Occupation: None**_

_**Date Found: May 6, 2026**_

"We want to help you. All you have to do is talk."

The voice was laced with compassion, but to Winter's ears, it was nothing but a blatant, empty promise. No one could help him. Not now.

"How can we move on if you refuse to work with me here?" The voice continued, the ticking clock on the wall of the darkened interrogation room remained the only response. Winter's eyes had been strangely glued to his lap.

"Agent Layten Boldt, that's your name?" Winter finally spoke, his voice dry and hoarse as if burned by acid. It was no more than a loud whisper.

"I am. And you are Winter Ivanson, am I correct?" Winter hesitated as if he wasn't sure, but then he nodded. Layten continued. "At least you spoke long enough to give some information to our other agents before this talk. But I want to know why. Why are you here? Why would you come to us and then refuse to talk?"

"It is hard for a father to find words when he knows his child is just beyond his finger tips." The gloss in Winter's eyes said the rest.

Pausing, Layten frowned, glancing down at his paper documents for a second, muttering, "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"Your team of Midgardians... I heard of the child they found... that she calls herself Winter. I knew it had to be the child my wife carried. She escaped and found a haven. But I must see her! I have come so far!"

Layten leaned back in his chair, frowning at the sudden craze in the other man's eyes.

"How did you hear of the child, or any information about us? Our team has been split up under dire circumstances. It's a civil war out there." There was a slight panic in the agent's voice.

"I've been searching for her for so long... please let me see her!" Winter slammed his sunburnt, blistered palms on the table. There was a fire in his eyes that Layten did not want to tempt. A desperation, clawing onto the hope he had in this girl.

"First, you have to talk. You said that you know who is in charge of these inhumane facilities. All I want to know is your story. That's all." Layten knew all too well from the demeanor of this man that he would try to run if he was allowed to see the girl first.

Winter sighed, leaning back into his own chair and nodded in submission. Before Winter could say a word, Layten pressed a button on a recording device set on the table.

**May 6, 2026 **

**Recording 1A Transcript**

_Winter: It began [pause] on one of the last times I left Vanaheim._

_Layten: Vanaheim? _

_Winter: Vanaheim is the realm I came from. _

_Layten: Is that similar to Asgard?_

_Winter: Yes. Vanaheim is similar, but the people live a simple life surrounded by nature. _

_Layten: Why did you leave? _

_Winter: I was searching for adventure. I needed a change. There was something missing in my life._

_Layten: Like what?_

_Winter: A purpose... to find joy. _

_Layten: Where did you go?_

_Winter: Many places. Mostly impoverished towns where I could help the poor, building houses and government where there was chaos. The last time I visited Vanaheim was many years ago, and then I came here, to Midgard._

...

The air of Vanaheim filled my lungs. Home. No other realm could compare. The mountains rose up like kings over the land, a palace of white stone resting between, and a waterfall flowing into the fjord below. Trees closed in around the scene, framing the sight forever in my memory. This didn't make my heart pound as much as seeing the trail leading back to my village. Two long years living in Vadella had made me miss home again. The pure and cool air of Vanaheim was shockingly different from the boiling deserts, and the beauty awe-inspiring.

Slipping my compass into the knapsack on my shoulder, my heart leapt upon seeing the widened eyes of those who had missed me. Those who had seen me dropped what they were doing, coming towards where I approached. I missed them all dearly. It didn't take long for my family to be called upon.

"About time you showed your face around these parts." My older brother, Dmitry, spoke over the voices questioning my sudden return. He clasped a hand on my shoulder, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

I replied, "I know I stayed longer than I said I would. But the Vadellans needed my help desperately. I was the only one willing."

"You fail to take precautions around their kind."

"They are a humble race. Those that rebelled are long gone. No one would help them, what was I to do?" I smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

Dmitry kept his smile, letting out a deep breath, his eyes asking the same question he spoke, "How long will you stay this time?"

"Not very long." I regrettably admitted. "The Nine Realms still call for me."

"And who asked you to be their hero?" He let out a chuckle, meaning it only to be a hearty joke, but my demeanor grew serious. Tender.

"How can I idly stand by in this peaceful life, Dmitry, knowing that there are others in need? Father never once had to think twice when it came to caring for others. I simply want to expand that gift to the universe."

"So you've told me." My brother's smile grew.

"Uncle Winter! Uncle Winter!"

Two joyful voices caught my attention, and I spun around to welcome Dmitry's two young children into my open arms.

"Have you brought us something?" My niece asked, looking at me with her big, brown eyes.

"I just might have something for you and your twin brother here." I smirked, playfully tugging at one of her braids before reaching into the knapsack.

As the children gathered around, faces glowing in wonder and curiosity, I pulled out two pieces of Vadellan glass, one for each of them. It was the Vadella's most prized creation for trading, having carved the pieces of the glass they made from their indigo sand. For my niece, there was a heart, and my nephew, a star. Their little hands picked up the gifts with such care, as if given the entire world.

"Winter," Cried the voice of a woman, filled with excitement, "we've missed you!" I turned to see Dmitry's wife, Ana.

"And I've missed you." I embraced her, great memories flooding into my mind. She was taken aback by this foreign greeting I used from habit, but she relaxed after a moment. It hurt to see them again strangely, knowing I was constantly changing and learning while the rest of my loved ones remained the same. There was more to the world than they could ever imagine. Everyone around us smiled widely, some family but most friends. I was known throughout the town by many wonderful people. Still, I felt alone.

"We must get you out of your torn rags! Why do you always come dressed as though you neglected yourself?" Dmitry scolded me, although playfully. He was right, I looked terrible to Vanaheim standards. The sleeves of my ragged shirt had long since been ripped off to help myself tolerate the heat. My skin was tan and burnt from the constant sunshine. Compared to the delicate, pale skin and sophisticated tunics of my people, I was a foreigner.

"You are in no state to see Papa."

"Well we can't keep him waiting, can we?"

"If it means entering his eminence's presence wearing... _that_."

"Papa won't care. I don't have any other clothes. Not anymore. The Vadellans had better use of them." I moved past Dmitry to greet others around me; neighbors, cousins, and countless friends anxious to hear my stories.

I headed to the temple where my Papa would be residing. I missed him so much, I could barely focus on the words Dmitry was saying to me, trying to persuade me to change into something decent.

"I apologize, brother, but I must see his _eminence_." I laughed at the name the other villagers had bestowed upon Papa. It was a respectful gesture, but I could only see him as the loving man who raised Dmitry and I after our parents entered Valhalla.

"Papa?" I called out, walking into the white, stone temple and feeling like a child again. There was a rustling from the other room, feet patting on the floor and the swish of robes.

"Winter?" He came to where I stood, eyes filled with light and love. "My boy, you have finally come back to us!"

Diving into his embrace, I let out a laugh of joy, my eyes glossing over with tears. I motioned for Dmitry to join us, but he politely declined.

"My boy, how I have missed you! It is unkind to one as old as I am to appear unexpectedly." When I released him from my embrace, I could see Papa was bursting with joy, and only said those words to tease. He was incapable of saying a word of frustration or anger.

"And I've missed you so much, Papa. I have many stories to share of Vadella and how the people are faring." Taking my hand in his, Papa replied,

"Every time you return you seem to be a wholly new person. The light in your eyes becomes brighter, the love in your heart is bolder, but your appearance grows ragged." There was both pride and worry in his eyes, and I felt sorry for a moment for not tidying up. I remembered though that this was what my life entailed. Why should I hide it from the man who raised me?

"I told you he would notice." Dmitry stated with a smirk.

"I do not wish for you to entirely neglect yourself in your endeavors, Winter." Looking into my eyes, and seemingly through my soul as the old man was known to do, Papa smiled and added, "The universe relies on men such as you. I could not have more pride in you for choosing this high vocation. But you must not forget yourself." I nodded. It was difficult to live in such a way without allowing one's health to deteriorate over time.

"Now, you are expected to tell us of your adventures!" Papa said, gesturing at the group of people who had followed us to the temple. Despite feeling my discomfort about this attention, my love for my work allowed me to speak freely and joyfully. My heart soared with each story I shared. Every journey, every second of the experience. All eyes went wide as I told them of the poverty, the hardship, the abandonment those people faced, and I hoped that my story allowed them to believe even further why I chose this life. I would feel selfish in any other. Is that a selfish thought?

"Are you sure they are all kind now?" My nephew, Alvaro, spoke up while bouncing on the balls of his feet. His sister, Titania, looked back at me as if wondering the same thing.

"Of course they are!" I answered, matching their enthusiasm. "Despite what little they have, they could not be more generous. Even with their stories! They told wonderful tales of a great sorceress who helped them a few years ago."

"Do they tell stories about you now?" Asked a shy and blushing young girl. I held back a chuckle and replied,

"Maybe one day. Whether they tell my story or not, I don't care, as long as they don't forget what I've taught them."

After some time, the people left me alone, which allowed Dmitry to finally force me to change and bathe. As I did so, I noticed the elegance of even Papa's simple living quarters hidden in the temple. How strange it was to feel uncomfortable surrounded by the lifestyle I was raised with. My people had so much, and many others had nothing. My thoughts were overwhelming, so I stepped outside for air. Papa stood nearby, and after noticing me, spoke,

"Dmitry was right. You really are a different man." He smiled at me before turning to look ahead at the horizon.

"I hope that is a good thing." I replied, my eyes drifting to the same place.

"I wouldn't mean it in any other way. But... I do worry for you. All your work is beyond generous, but it is a hard life for a Vanir."

"It was difficult at first, but now I don't think I could ever go back to how I was before. There might be something else waiting for me, I don't doubt that. It just isn't a normal or comfortable life." The golden sun was setting over the town, shadows falling in its place.

He exhaled, looking back at me. "You know I will always support you. I want you to find that happiness that we all search for. Just... you happened to find it differently than we all did." He frowned. "My only worry is that one day, you will leave and never come back."

"I will always find a way to return, but this could never be my home again. No matter how much love I have for everyone here." I could barely make out the features in Papa's face, but I could tell he was full of sorrow, as if he were mourning my departure already.

"Of course. You have brought joy to so many, and you continue to do it. I will never forget the face of your younger brother when you told him he could come on one of your first journeys. He was so happy." The mention of Arian still made my heart ache with regret. I was unable to speak for some time before I added, my voice cracking,

"I still don't understand how you've forgiven me... he was far too young to leave this world." Papa placed his reassuring hand on my shoulder, stabilizing my emotions.

"I refused to keep him from his passion, the same I did with you. His fate was not in our hands. But he is with your parents, free from suffering. I could never blame you. None of it was your fault. If anything, it was mine."

"Don't say that, Papa. You cannot be blamed. You are right, we couldn't control his fate. He chose to sacrifice himself for others, and I couldn't be more proud of who he had become in his short lifetime. I wish you could have witnessed the change." I smiled, remembering how great my little brother was. A hero.

"Just like you, I could foresee the good. There was a look in his eyes that made my heart stir. He was... different. I am glad the Norns gifted me with the sight." I nodded in agreement. The foresight had been a blessing in both of our lives.

"I must go soon," I regrettably admitted, "I don't belong here." We were shrouded in darkness, only broken by rays of light shining from the stars above.

"No matter where you go, let your heart lead you." He smiled. A sad smile, looking to the sky. "If only you could see the things I foresee in your future. I have hope."


	2. Chapter 2: Beyond All Compare

_Layten: When did you leave?_

_Winter: After a few days, I had a dream... well not a dream exactly. It was a vision. Both my Papa and my brothers were given this gift of visions as well. It guides us where we are called to be. I knew when I had the dream that I was being called to come to Earth._

_Layten: What was this dream?_

...

I opened my eyes, finding myself lying on the ground, surrounded by white roses swaying in a sweet breeze. There was a deep peace over my entire body. I stood up, feeling a force pulling me to walk forward. Something was ahead of me. I longed for it although I knew not what it was. My arms reached ahead of me. As I walked, the trail of white roses changed into a beautiful crimson red. My heart ached. With the warmth of the sun on my face, I was renewed. A newfound energy pulsed through my veins, a destiny calling my name. My fingertips brushed the rose petals, their fragrance meeting my nostrils. No one was there to greet me, or answer my questions. There was no clear direction, but I knew I was on Midgard. And I felt at home. I was... happy.

...

_Layten: Did you find what you hoped for?_

_Winter: No. Something much better._

...

When I awoke from my vision, the peace and belonging had abandoned me. I was back in Vanaheim. There was another emotion in its place, however. Excitement. Although I found joy serving others, I never found my home. This vision was the answer to my prayers. Whatever was waiting for me, it had to be wonderful. I packed new clothing in a bag, and I left my room. I refused to waste a second knowing my happiness was just around the corner. Papa was in his room, probably saying his prayers. I stared at the door, simultaneously wanting to leave without the heavy weight of a goodbye and needing a goodbye to ease my nostalgic heart.

I raised my hand to the wood, hesitated, then knocked.

"Papa..." After a moment of silence, the door was opened to me.

"My son... is everything alright?" His brows knit together, and I could see the recognition on his face. He saw my packed belongings in the bag on my back. I did not have to say a word.

"I guess this is goodbye... again." I muttered, gaze wavering between him and the ground. Papa stepped out towards me, placing two hands on my shoulders.

"You saw it, didn't you? Another vision."

"I am unsure what is ahead of me, but it must be what I have been searching for. It is a stronger calling than ever before." While part of me only wished to be far away, the child inside of me hated to leave. Hated to see Papa upset.

"And you must answer this call. Your future lies on Midgard." I embraced him for the final time and said goodbye.

I left the temple, my heart racing the closer I came to leaving. My feet trudged forward, taking me down the path, further and further from the village. I turned, seeing Dmitry off in the distance. My heart throbbed, an impulse rising in me to rush to him, to give him a proper goodbye. A simple wave was all he supplied me with before turning away. I frowned deeply, knowing full well my brother expected this departure.

As I left the village, I could feel the pull to go back, to not break the hearts of those I loved, but the compass was already in my hand. There was no turning back. Gazing ahead into the horizon, the orange morning sky reflecting off of the waterfall, pooling into the fjord below, I took a deep breath.

"Goodbye... Vanaheim." I whispered to the air of the realm but mostly for myself. I did not know when I would return. No one did.

Looking down at the compass, I lifted the glass covering, reaching down to spin the needle, bringing it to life. Before me appeared a collage of galaxies, decorated in the realms that made up the universe. I searched through them, drawn to the one my heart pulled towards. Midgard was within my reach, and I could feel the lift of its magic, my eyes rolling back into my head as my vision was covered in darkness.

I awoke in a field. Similar to the one in my dream, except I was not surrounded by roses. However, when I stood up, I noticed a rose bush nearly ten paces away. A single white rose seemed to look at me with expectation. I stepped towards it and picked the perfect flower off of the bush. The compass must have led me to exactly where I needed to be, but I had no clue where to go next. I had no plan, only a burning desire to find my future. Looking around in every direction, I saw a sky of bright blue, in contrast to Vanaheim's golden sky, and a building in the distance in between trees.

There was no where else to go but onward. Staying in one place would not answer the burning questions clouding my mind like a whirlwind. Midgard was a strange realm, usually spoken about with distaste by others. It was primitive, arrogant and selfish, or so I was told. They separated themselves from the other realms, cutting all ties. We knew very little about Midgard because of that.

I couldn't stand there forever waiting for something to happen, so I walked. The air seemed heavier here, and my body struggled to carry its own weight, but I'd adjust soon enough, I thought. My head ached horribly. I could rest on the ground where I stood... I just needed to take another step... The pressure dug through my skull to my feet. I couldn't stand. Even my knees wouldn't support me. My face hit the grass, and I drifted into unconsciousness. A darkness came over me that did not last long, but my breaths were shallow and my heart pounded. Soon, I heard voices that pulled me out of the death-like sleep. Waking up only partially, I could hear them well, yet my body remained paralyzed, too heavy to move or lift.

"He's waking." The voices had suddenly increased in volume and I jolted awake, eyes wide. Forcing myself to sit up, I looked at the man beside me, along with a young woman at the foot of the bed. "Hello there." Spoke the man, his voice passive, but his eyes sparkled with curiosity. I squeezed my eyes shut for a minute. The pressure seemed to be lessening, but my head still ached. When I opened my eyes again, the man continued, "How are you feeling?" With all the force my vocal chords were capable of, I whispered,

"The gravity..." The strangers were puzzled by my answer. "It's heavy here."

He spoke to the woman beside him. "Why don't you keep an eye on him for now. Let me know if there's a problem." The man left the room, shutting the door.

"Do you need anything?" The woman asked sweetly, smiling sympathetically.

"Is there water here?" I asked. My throat was burning from dehydration. I hadn't noticed before. Her eyes lit up as she nodded, as if happy to be of service. My eyes turned to the ceiling as I heard her footsteps leave the room, getting farther and farther away. I was left alone for a few moments, lifting my head once more to study the room from where I lay. It was cold, and the light gray walls and floors failed to catch my interest. I saw tools, tubes and various objects I could not identify. A strange, rhythmic beeping finally grabbed my attention, bringing me to realize that it had been beeping the entire time I was awake. Staring at the machine beside me, a thin, green line moving with the rhythm, my eyes soon followed the wires that hooked themselves up to my chest. My eyes grew wide.

"I'm back!" The woman spoke upon entry, cup of water in hand with a kind smile on her face as if nothing was wrong. In all seriousness, it did something to calm my rising nerves. Taking the cup in my shaking hands, I brought it to my lips. It tasted... better than Vadella's milky water, but nowhere near as sweet and pure as Vanaheim's.

"Thank you." I managed to mumble, my head in less of a whirl than it was before.

"Is it alright if I ask you some questions?" She asked absentmindedly, eyes glued to the screen. In her hand was a clipboard and a pen, ready to take notes. When I responded, she shifted her gaze back to me, breaking out of her daydream,

"I'd like to know where I am first."

"The health center," she answered then added, "At Twin Rivers University. You lost consciousness, and we only want to make sure that you are doing well."

"I'm at a school?"

"Yes... are you not a student here? Some students found you in a field at the back of the campus." There was rising concern on her face, although she tried to hide it.

"I'm not..." My answer made her feel uncomfortable, I could tell. I didn't know how to explain.

She moved on quickly, trying to ignore her discomfort.

"What's your name?"

"Winter."

"Winter what?"

"Ivanson. Winter Ivanson."

She let out a sigh as if trying to think clearly. "Alright... Winter. Do you have any history of heart issues... an unusual heartbeat?"

"No, it's normal, but I'm assuming it's unusual to a Midgardian." I replied, but my answer puzzled her. She stiffened.

"A... what?" I could hear the utter confusion and slight concern in her voice. Midgard was more unconscious of the other realms than I thought. Maybe, I considered, would it be better to hide my identity?

"Sorry, what did I say? My head hurts..." Her eyes slightly narrowed, but she blinked and it was gone.

"You don't have a history of heart problems?" She asked again as she scribbled words onto the paper.

"No, I promise my heart is just fine." My tone didn't sound convincing.

"Hmm..." she looked down at the clipboard. "Well, your heartbeat is very odd and... your heart is... on the wrong side of your chest." She tucked strands of her caramel-colored hair behind her ear as she shifted her gaze from the clipboard back to me.

"That is..." I hesitated, but quickly made up an excuse, "How I was born. It works fine." It was obvious to me that she didn't believe my words, but she didn't dwell on the matter.

"Do you have any family, even friends, we could contact?" She had her pen at the ready.

"No. I've just recently moved from far away."

"What about identification?"

"Isn't my name enough...?"

She frowned at my response, staring at me for a solid moment. It was then that she left the room again, leaving me to wonder what it was I said wrong.


	3. Chapter 3: Tell Me More

The nurse returned, but she was not alone. I dared not worry about being in trouble, but the expressions on the new faces in the room told me I was. One was a man and another a woman, both strangers. The man had strikingly dark skin compared to the paler skin of the women and myself. Midgard was showing its similarities to Asgard, besides the common language of course.

"Hello, Winter." Spoke the man in a friendly voice, although his expression remained stiff, "I am Detective Abbott. This is Ms. Hahn," he motioned to the woman, then the nurse, "and you know her sister, Emmeline." I gave them a weak smile, although I do admit I was slightly nervous. "We're here to take a sample of your DNA, nothing to worry about, and ask a few questions." Ms. Hahn took scissors out of the pocket of her lab coat.

"What? What are you doing?" I asked, stress rising.

"I'm just taking some of your hair. Don't worry." That response confused me, but I complied because her comforting smile was genuine. She looked trustworthy. As she walked to the side of my bed and cut a few strands of my hair into a plastic bag, Detective Abbott asked me,

"Where are you from?"

"Vanaheim." Of course, he was puzzled by my answer.

"Vanaheim? Is that... Where is that?" The detective pulled a small notebook out of his back pocket and a pen out of a pocket on his breast.

"It is a realm. It is well, as best as I can explain, in space?" I hoped he didn't believe that I was insane. How strange it seemed to me that these people knew nothing outside of their realm!

"Is that a question, sir? I don't appreciate liars." No, worse than insane. I was a liar.

With determination to clear up the confusion, I replied firmly but too quickly to sound honest,

"Detective Abbott, I have no other knowledge than this. I refuse to lie and tell you that I am of Midgard. You seem to think I have a strange heartbeat. I don't. I'm sure you'll find other differences between us proving what I say." He sighed, glancing at Ms. Hahn in a moment of confusion and indecision, then said,

"Rebecca, please get his fingerprints." Gently and timidly, she lifted my thumb and pressed it onto a sticky material which then went into another plastic bag labeled "lab".

"Can I ask why you were trespassing onto campus?"

"If you heard my answer, you wouldn't believe me, but I can tell you, if you want to hear it." I shrugged, not knowing what else to do with myself as the detective examined me with his eyes.

"I _would_ like to know." At this point, it was hard to tell if he was more frustrated or confused. He didn't know what to think of me.

"I left Vanaheim and appeared where I was found. As simple as that. I was brought where the Norns wanted me." I tried to avoid speaking of the compass so that they wouldn't keep it from me. They would if they knew.

"How interesting." His voice had become monotone and annoyed. What else could I do?

"I understand that it's difficult to believe." I paused, my thoughts recollecting. "What... are you planning to do? Am I stuck here?" I knew I could probably escape easily, depending on the security of this place, but I wanted to only do good here. No one could trust me if I was a criminal.

"You have no home, family, or friends here?"

"None."

"Well," Detective Abbott responded with sudden decisiveness, "I assume we'll take you to the psych ward at the hospital for now... under strict surveillance. We'll have Emmeline transferred there to keep this situation contained." Emmeline nodded casually, confirming that the plan was decided before the detective had spoken to me. Not understanding what a psych ward meant, I resolved to cooperate for a time to see what would happen. I hoped that all I needed to do to find the promise of my vision was to wait.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell or ask me? Any confessions?" There was a hint of desperation in this man's eyes, almost as if he was trying to convince himself that I couldn't possibly be from another world.

"When am I leaving? Also, I don't have any extra clothes. I'm assuming that's a problem on this planet." The detective didn't know whether to roll his eyes or shout at me, so he just stared. Emmeline and Rebecca held back laughter, forcing me to stifle my own chuckle.

"We'll make arrangements. You can expect an ambulance coming to transport you within the hour if you have no objections." Detective Abbott announced in a loud voice as he walked out of the room with Rebecca trailing behind.

The room was left quiet for a moment. Emmeline looked at me, but her mind was searching for words.

"I look forward to working with you, Winter." said Emmeline, trying to sound professional but still overtaken by shyness. Her small hands rested on the footboard of my bed, tensed from... nerves?

"What will I be doing in this psych ward?"

"You can read, or take walks... there's a gym. Your room should have a tv, too. I'll be visiting you often to check on your heart and other vitals." She looked apologetic as she listed the mundane life in the psych ward, leaning further into the footboard as she spoke. Her eyes were soft and unfocused as if her mind was constantly in another place. I watched as she apologized about something I missed and left. A strange warmth left the room as well. And there I was again, alone.

...

_Layten: How long were you at the psych ward? _

_Winter: No more than a few weeks. Three at least. The life there was dreadfully tedious at first, and I remember nights where I questioned if I was even on the right path, or maybe that my visions had misled me. _

_Layten: When did that all change? Did you escape?_

_Winter: Yes, but not right away. Emmeline came on occasional visits, but it changed after a few days when she started to talk to me._

...

Emmeline had just entered the room, as she always did, asking if I needed anything and checking my heart. Our interactions had been every day the same. She wasn't allowed to talk to me more than what was necessary. Did the Midgardians fear me?

"What is the point of this?" I asked, relaxing back into my pillow as Emmeline checked my blood pressure. "Haven't they learned enough?"

She looked up into my eyes with an expression of wonder and curiosity. Her hair was braided today, the caramel strands carefully weaved together and falling over her shoulder.

"They..." Her gaze didn't break as she paused to find the words she wished to say, "They don't know what else to do. I think they are trying to contact the government, but..." She stopped and shook her head, not knowing if she was allowed to tell me more.

"I don't doubt that it must be strange, realizing that there's more life out there than just your own." It was strange enough for me to imagine not knowing. Emmeline smiled and let out a quiet laugh, looking more relaxed as she tilted her head to the side and replied,

"It seems a little crazy."

I sat up, watching her, her movements slowing as the silence lingered. She wanted to speak further, I could tell.

"Look," she finally said after a soft sigh, "the real reason I came here is the lab results with your DNA came in. Yours... is not human. At least that's what my sister told me."

"So, it's not crazy after all?" I responded with a playful smirk. Sitting down on the bedside, she shrugged.

"I just... want to know why. I couldn't even believe Rebecca when she told me." Her eyes were focused on my own, trying to find what wasn't human. I stared back into her bright blue eyes.

"It's strange to me that Midgard is unaware of other worlds. There are more than you could ever imagine." She frowned.

"But there aren't. There never was! How could there be?" Her hands clasped together firmly in her lap.

"But there are! So many worlds with their own cultures and people. All of them beautiful in their differences." I recalled in that moment all of the places I visited in the past. I missed all of them dearly.

A newfound confidence shone in her eyes. I sat there, hoping she would accept my words. No one else would. "Tell me about them."

"I've been to so many, it's hard to know where to begin," I responded, my heart pounding fast with excitement to share my joy of traveling. "Maybe I'll start with my home, Vanaheim. It's a world of wonderful, wise Vanir. We live with nature, surrounded by waterfalls and trees, lit by the golden sun. The people are peaceful and loving. It is nearly paradise." Remembering the beauty of Vanaheim always left me with the bittersweet taste of nostalgia.

"Why would you leave such a place?" I could see on her face that she was struggling to imagine what it would be like.

"Sometimes, when you think you have everything, you find that it cannot satisfy you."

Emmeline's jaw dropped slightly, her gaze intensifying as if trying to read my gaze further. I was compelled to silence. Smiling sweetly, she replied,

"I... know exactly what you mean."

"I found the joy I was missing when I left to other worlds, mostly those less fortunate than mine. They needed help that I could offer. My life had a purpose."

"And..." she frowned a bit, although she seemed to try and hide it, "what about now?" Blinking in surprise, I realized that my words were confusing. I laughed and replied,

"I didn't mean that I have no purpose. I am on a different path now, though. I'm unsure what the future might hold... but..." I looked at her in silence, voice trailing off. Wondering. Her soft, gentle features formed a curious, nearly trusting gaze that I found myself locking onto. She wanted to know more, I could see it. And yet... I wanted to know more about her as well.


	4. Chapter 4: Something to Believe In

Emmeline was supposed to visit twice a week. For the first week, it had remained so. But after our talks, her visits lengthened. They became more frequent, extending to daily visits that lasted for hours. I enjoyed her company. She came with a smile and personality that brought sunshine into every room she stepped foot in. Just as she had done from the beginning, Emmeline would look after me and discuss my health. By the second week, however, I knew there was a deeper meaning to her visits. There was nothing wrong with me, I was not sick and there was nothing more she could physically discover about me. She was simply curious.

...

_Layten: Couldn't you have escaped at any time with the compass?_

_Winter: Yes. Sometimes life requires action when it is calling you to, but when you reach your destination, sometimes it requires waiting. I knew waiting was exactly what I was meant to do._

...

A few days had gone by with the realization overtaking my thoughts. I could see the spark of wonder in Emmeline's blue eyes. How she ached to ask me an ocean of questions. My heart was willing to answer those questions, if only she would ask. I knew she held back a question every moment she was with me. I waited for when she would let down her walls. Joy filled my heart when she finally did.

"Hello, Emmeline." I said, my eyes opening to see the ceiling after I heard the door open. My heart started to beat a little faster than before.

"What are you doing on the floor?" Emmeline asked. I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Meditating. That's how I keep my sanity." I chuckled as she sat down, legs crossed, beside me. This was one of many clues to me that she differed from the people of Vanaheim, too focused on image. Never condescending to any height below eye level. Exactly what I ran away from. She gazed at me for a moment, giving me a strange warmth in my chest. Her beauty captured me.

"I can take you outside now!" Her voice was filled with an unexpected excitement in contrast to her usual timid but calm disposition. It brightened the room. I immediately stood up and offered my hand to her to help her off the ground. The cool touch made me tremble. I sighed and smiled. What a seemingly childish feeling. Attraction. I allowed myself to enjoy it, not expecting it to last.

We made our way through the hallway, down an unfamiliar and gloomy staircase. Reaching the wide, glass double doors at the bottom was reinvigorating. Outside, the smell of leaves and cement was more inviting and sweeter than ever before. The warm sunshine, although nearly unbearably bright, filled my soul with peace and joy that I've missed in the dark cell I was allowed.

"You look happy." Emmeline remarked, her face lit up with the same enthusiasm I felt.

"The sun is warm and the leaves are green, what else could I ever need?" I took in a deep breath. It really seemed perfect in that moment, despite my actual situation.

"Very poetic," Emmeline commented. Her eyes were glazed over, showing me that her mind was far away, and yet she observed everything around her with contentment. "There's really not much else worth our time, is there?"

"Except each other. Life would be dull without company."

"As long as it's good company..." She glanced over at me for a moment with a shy smile and quickly looked away.

"I'm glad I have it. Not many people listen as intently as you do." Her cheeks turned red, and I think mine did too.

"You tell the most wonderful stories though!" Her expression was puzzled, incredulous that someone wouldn't listen.

"I believe they're only wonderful if you are adventurous and empathetic." As I spoke those words, I noticed her eyes that seemed to examine my soul and the corner of her small lips lifting in a dreamy smile.

"It's good to know someone else in this world feels the same... Now, weren't we going to walk? The sun is going to set before we've begun!"

"Good idea. I need to exercise!"

I paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "I have a question, Emmeline."

"What is it?" She cocked her head. I smiled.

"Why did you decide to become a nurse?" I could see her surprised expression, the realization crossing her mind that she had never been asked that question before. At least, not with real curiosity.

"Well," pressing her lips together, I watched the thought swirl. "I wanted to help people in whatever way I could. This seemed to be the logical step. I can't say at all that I love it though. Becoming a nurse was the 'right' thing to do... but it's very unfulfilling. I'm helping to heal people physically. I want to heal people mentally and spiritually, which is not part of my job at all. What you do sounds much better. I realized this while I was studying to become a nurse, but I felt I had gotten too far into it to change my mind. I've been hoping that somehow I can change my path without risking everything. I don't know... I don't know which path I need to take. I can't stand this waiting. It's almost like the path is just over the hill... if that makes sense."

My heart lifted immediately. "It makes perfect sense. It might actually be surprising to you that I, in a way, feel the same. Not that I want to change my path, but I feel as though the one I'm on is turning toward something else. There's nothing wrong with changing, even if there is a risk. That new chapter could be what makes your life exactly what it needs to be."

Walking beside her, our conversation came to a pause as I processed her words. She was wonderful.

"I wish I had your courage to drop everything." Emmeline finally continued.

"I think you have it in you. You just have to remove all the obstacles first."

"Like what?"

"Attachments. Is there something in particular that makes you feel trapped?"

"Hmm..." her brows furrowed, "the fear of the unknown, mostly. Nothing is holding me back as much as that. Well, maybe the expectations of my parents to have security."

"Sometimes you just have to let go of expectations and leap, no matter what others think... That makes you nervous, I can tell from the look on your face." I chuckled playfully as that exact look made its appearance, "It's fine to be nervous, but it's fine to take a chance too! You could always come back, couldn't you?"

A smile tugged at her lips. "That's... really helpful. I needed someone to tell that to me. My parents separated when I was very young, and, well, being raised by my mom alone was a struggle. I never wanted to take a risk that would lead me to the insecurity we had, financially and mentally. That's why nursing seemed so great because I'd get to help people and support myself."

"What do you mean that your parents separated?" I frowned, this phrase very foreign to me.

"Do you have marriage in Vanaheim?"

"As in vows that bind a man and woman together?"

"Exactly. We have that... but we have divorce too."

"And that means...?

"You can legally dissolve the vows."

My jaw dropped, and my heart nearly broke. "What? That's... awful!"

"That's not how most people feel. It deeply hurt my family more than staying together would have, but that's how life on earth tends to be."

"Married couples on Vanaheim always stay together until death. I couldn't imagine saying those vows and dissolving them as if they're nothing..." Her words now deeply saddened me, the humans seeming less righteous than how I would have imagined them.

"I understand why it happens... I just wish people would truly discern if the marriage is correct before entering into it or not giving up so easily if the feeling of affection fades away."

"Fidelity is not disposable."

Pausing again, I looked ahead as we walked. All her words filled my head, and I worked to process them all. We grew quiet, not saying a word. I wondered if I should, but she continued first, the words she spoke startling and somewhat surprising me. "I find you so fascinating."

"Oh, thank you." I smiled much wider than I anticipated. "I find you very fascinating too."

She shrugged, "You're an alien, yet you speak my language and share my moral code. What a strange world we live in."

"I speak many languages. Your language was passed to you from the Asgardians when they ruled over Midgard. I don't believe it was pure luck I was brought to a place on Midgard that speaks such a language."

"Wait... what do you believe it was? If it wasn't luck, I mean."

"As I said before, my path is curving. There's something here for me." my heart wanted it to be her... I was trying to be careful. I couldn't let my mind be distracted if she wasn't the answer, but oh, how I wanted her to be! Although she was putting her soul out in front of me, there was an infinite complexity before me to unfold. What a beautiful enigma.

"And I guess it makes sense we'd have the same moral code, if there truly is a single creator, would it not make perfect sense that our consciences would be similarly focused?" Emmeline continued, her thoughts always seemed to live on, digging deep into a subject until she suddenly realized truth within herself.

The sky was growing darker, but we both desired to stay with each other longer. So, we stayed outside, watching the extraordinary beauty of a Midgardian sunset.

"Will you tell me another story?" Emmeline asked. Her eyes filled with a childlike wonder still, but also a wisdom I haven't encountered in many besides Papa.

"One day I'll run out of stories for you!"

We both laughed before she replied, "Then you have to go on more adventures." Her demanding tone was used in jest. Somehow the sunset, as beautiful as it was, only added to Emmeline's beauty. She took my breath away. The atmosphere seemed almost magical around us. The world was perfect in this moment, and I wanted it to last forever. We sat on a bench facing an open field, perfectly displaying the bright oranges, pinks, and blues of the sky.

"I've told you stories about the good things I've seen. But... I saw evil and suffering too. Maybe one day I'll tell you, but right now... I couldn't bear to see you sad." Our gaze met each other's eyes with longing. Neither one of us wanted to say that we were falling for each other. Our situation was strange, but we still couldn't resist.

"Would you at least tell me another happy story? I love listening to your passion." I couldn't help but cave in to her request.

"I could tell you more about Vadella. It's such a wonderful place." I had told her very little about this planet that had taken my heart. She knew about the rolling hills of purple sand and the milky white water. My description of the Vadellan people, tall, gray, and nose-less intrigued her. The positive spirit in the poverty-stricken village filled her with sweet compassion. "I went there after my time at Contraxia, which was my first journey. Maybe one day I'll tell you about it. Vadella was vastly different from the city life and suffocating immorality of Contraxia. The hot sun and fresh air lifted my spirits. I was welcomed with immense joy. Every foreigner is shown how deeply the Vadellans love every living being. They brought me to their Kujoyo, which is what they call their leader. His name was Thrai Maw, an old and wise Vadellan who spends his life in contemplation and study. A wise woman from the icy realm of Jötunheim had shared her help and knowledge with Vadella, and the Kujoyo is her disciple. Although she has long since disappeared, he remained loyal to her cause and taught his tribe her words."

"What was her name?" The curiosity in Emmeline's eyes made me smile.

"Farbauti. There was a clay statue in the center of the village in her likeness. It was very well made from what little resources they had. I wish I could have met her. She seemed glorious."

Emmeline nodded in understanding, smiling very gently. I let more words slip out, watching as she turned her head towards the setting sun, the breeze rustling her hair. She seemed to let herself imagine my words as if she had been there.

"During their season of planting, the Vadellans all came together to plant a grove of fruit trees, along with various grains and vegetables. I knew that the amount to be planted would be barely enough to last them through the upcoming seasons after harvest, but I was willing to help."

Emmeline's head turned to me, "I'm sure it went a lot faster with you helping them."

"Oh yes, one man can do all the difference. But in the heat of the sun, I could see how they struggled to water the fields. Their sands were very dry, and they had a simple watering system."

"You helped them with that, too?"

"Of course! I told them to build water trenches around and through the center of the fields. We connected the trenches to the nearest lake, making it much easier for them."

"I'm sure they were grateful." She smiled.

I chuckled, "Very. There was a celebration with music and dancing, the people congratulating each other on their hard work." I breathed deep, remembering the memories that made me smile, "The children, the few of them that there were, danced and laughed so joyously. Despite how obviously deprived they were of nourishment and proper care, they were still so happy. They still managed to smile..."

My eyes glossed over at the thought and I blinked rapidly for a moment, shakily smiling. Looking over at Emmeline, shadows overcasting her face and probably mine, I saw a light in her gaze, telling me that my story touched her. A warmth immediately filled my heart. For once, I could share my stories. _Really_ share them.


	5. Chapter 5: Journey's Bend

"Contraxia, as I mentioned before, was my first journey." I began to tell Emmeline, who was sitting on the bed behind me while I turned a small vase of violets towards the beaming sunlight. "For years before that journey, my heart longed and ached to explore, to visit the other worlds beyond Vanaheim. My Papa could see the longing, and when he sensed that it would be a part of my future, he gifted me with what I needed to see the universe…" my voice trailed off as I was tempted to tell her about the compass. It was such a dear treasure to me, and a gift nearly incomprehensible to primitive minds. But Emmeline was different, that maybe soon, I would have the courage to take a chance and show her.

My thumbs stroked the soft petals of the violets, and I spoke again, knowing I had let the silence linger for nearly too long. "Despite my eagerness to visit a new world, I was very naïve and young. It was nearly sixteen years ago."

"You had to have been a child, then." Added Emmeline.

I turned towards her, "More of a young man, barely fifteen. But the lifespan of a Vanir is quite extended compared to that of humans. We average to nearly two hundred years."

Emmeline's eyebrows raised at that. "That would explain why you don't look your age."

I chuckled at her statement. "How kind of you to say so!"

Stepping towards her, smile beaming, I continued my story, "Contraxia is a cold planet of snow and ice, but not nearly as unbearable as the realm of Jötunheim. Countless varieties of species live there in various cities across the planet."

"Did you go there to help others?"

"Actually, no. This journey was what sparked my desire, and I knew immediately after that my future travels would have far more purpose to them." Emmeline's eyes begged me to tell her exactly how it happened.

The door swung open, without the usual knock. It was Rebecca. I hadn't seen her since my first days on earth, but I recognized her.

She stood there for a few moments, casting a look at me before her eyes met with Emmeline's, saying very calmly, "So this is where you've been." Looking sheepishly at her sister, Emmeline was at a loss for words. "Are you getting paid to just sit around with this man all day?"

Emmeline stood up and walked towards her sister. "Can we talk outside, please?" Her voice was lowered as she pointed to the door.

The two women walked out into the hall, and I stood near the door once it closed, pretending not to listen… although I was. I was curious.

Rebecca began, "Em, listen–"

"Don't call me that." Emmeline interrupted, frustration building up in her voice.

"I'm trying to get you to listen! What have you been doing all this time? Just talking with that strange man?!"

"I… I was told to keep an eye on him. I didn't know what to do because he was completely normal and peaceful—"

"You barely know him. Where is your common sense?" Her voice sounded so belittling and full of distaste. I frowned.

"I've been getting to know him. He's full of so much wisdom and tells me wonderful stories of him helping others… How could I resist getting to know someone like this?" Emmeline's tone was gentle and sweet to my ears. It felt wonderful to be complimented by such a lovely woman.

Rebecca's voice lowered a bit, but remained just as stern, "Don't tell me you're falling for him. Don't be so disgusting."

There was a silence that made my heart leap. Maybe she felt the same way about me…

"You know what," Rebecca nearly whispered, sounding frustrated, "sometimes I can't stand you."

"Rebecca, please. Are you not curious at all? He's an _alien_." Her voice was desperate. She wanted to mend this relationship.

"That's the exact issue we're dealing with here! The lab I work at wants to bring him in to speak to the Secretary of State about the possibility of him not being from Earth. If there really are other worlds out there, the government needs to know, and his DNA is the first step to something extraordinary. We can't keep the world from this, especially if his information is already in the records. He'll be sought out anyway."

"He doesn't deserve to be locked up." Now, she was angry and fighting for me.

"Why won't you listen to reason? We have no choice but to turn him in! It's a part of my job right now!"

"Just because it's your job doesn't mean you should do it. Who knows what they'd do to him? He came here with no intention of hurting anyone…"

Rebecca huffed, "If he's as nice as you say, can't you just ask him to comply?"

"Not even the nicest people would subject themselves to being a lab rat. I'm sorry, Rebecca, but I don't agree with you."

"If he didn't want this, then he should never have come here!" I heard her footsteps stomping off, swiftly leaving while snapping, "He's not even that attractive, Em!"

Emmeline murmured under her breath, but just loud enough for my ears to pick it up, "She's crazy _and_ blind." Holding in a chuckle, I began to stand up to pretend that I hadn't been listening when Emmeline opened the door right into my hip.

"Oh!" Emmeline exclaimed, "I'm sorry—were you… listening?" Her cheeks were red in embarrassment but also annoyance.

"I'll admit, I did happen to hear your conversation. I apologize."

"Really, Winter?" It hurt a little to see her upset at me. I regretted my curiosity immediately.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. It's this place… I just feel trapped and…"

"Well, why don't you just leave? I'm sure you could."

She turned around to the door, but I spoke quickly, "Only if you come with me." Stopping in her tracks, she looked down at the ground.

"Very funny." Before I could say anything else, she left.

...

_Layten: Wow. Ouch._

_Winter: *laughs* She came around._

_Layten: So... then what?_

_Winter: I had another vision._

...

Roses. The strong fragrance woke me. I was in the same field as before, feeling the same desire to run towards something just out of reach. I stood on unsteady feet, the sun warming my cold back. A smile broke my sleepy expression. I didn't know why, but I was happy. My feet moved forward automatically. I was close. My heart was on fire with desire. Everything moved slowly, but I was filled with peace. The ground moved below me, the sky coming more into view as I fell slowly to the soft grass. The ground was cleared, a perfect circle of roses surrounded me. I tried to stand up, but feeling a gentle force lower me down, I relaxed. The sun was setting. The sunset that I watched with Emmeline was painted on the sky. There was a presence beside me, so I looked.

There she was. Emmeline. Her beautiful light hair spread across the perfectly green grass and eyes shining brighter than ever before.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She spoke, gazing at the pink sky, but I couldn't even look at the sky. She was captivating.

"It's perfect…" My words slurred together as I fell deeply in love.

...

"Winter!" I heard a voice bring my mind back to earth. It was frantic. Scared. "Wake up!" A warm hand rested on my chest and another on my neck. Air entered my lungs, and my heart began to beat again, a usual thing to experience when returning from a vision. My eyes opened to see Emmeline's face inches above mine. A tear rolled down her cheek. She looked terrified. "Are you… okay?" Stammering and trying to hold back more tears, she backed away and sat beside me on the ground.

Uneven breaths escaped me. "I-I'm fine, but I'm sorry for scaring you…" I sat up and wiped the single tear from her cheek with my thumb. I couldn't resist. She was magnetic.

"No… no. I guess I should have figured that you were fine. I'm the most ridiculous nurse… whenever someone passes out or anything I freak out. That's why I was still working at a college health center." She laughed when she said this, but not the laugh that I love. It was painful. Her hands were shaking.

Standing up quickly she added, "I'm sorry… I just came here to apologize. I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems."

I stood up as well, and all I could do was pull her into a hug. I was holding the most important thing in the world in my arms.

I whispered softly, "It's not ridiculous. You care a lot, and that's nothing to be ashamed about." Her heart was beating fast, I could feel it. "And I need to apologize, not you."

With these words, she held me even tighter.

"Thank you, Winter." I wanted to stay close to her forever, but she let go of me. Her warmth was still present on my chest. "I meant what I said before though… you should go."

"And I meant what _I_ said. I want you to come with me. I… need someone to show me around." My lopsided smile made her giggle nervously. She was so adorable.

"Where would we go?" Her smile faded but her eyes showed her excitement. The possibilities were endless. She wanted to come with me, and I couldn't hold back my enthusiasm.

"I have no clue! But it's going to be absolutely amazing! We could go anywhere, just tell me what to do!" I grabbed my compass, and the two outfits I was given. Then her hand. "I'm so happy you're coming with me." I think my energy surprised her, but she laughed and showed her own excitement. "All we need is this compass." Opening the glass lid, I showed her the beautiful scene it had captured inside. The entire universe.

"This will take us anywhere you desire."


	6. Chapter 6: Take Me With You

"So... this is my apartment I share with Rebecca," Emmeline said; her body language was awkward, not knowing what she should do now.

"It's a nice place," I spoke as I took in the sight. It was small but open and comfortable. What stood out to me the most, however, was the smell of roses. Just strong enough to remind me of my visions. Besides that, there was a small, clean kitchen with white cabinets that led to a living area with a couch and a square, four-person table. Along the two walls on opposite sides were doors that led to other rooms.

"Sorry that I didn't clean..." As she said this, Emmeline picked up random things lying on the ground that I didn't notice and put them away.

"Don't worry. You can go ahead and change." Waving her to go, I sat down on the couch to patiently wait. But not actually intending to stay there.

"Alright," Emmeline sighed and walked towards one of the doors before adding, "You can make yourself at home. If you're hungry, just find something. I don't really care."

Smiling, I happily complied. It felt wonderful to be in a new place outside of the psych ward, and I was already feeling comfortable.

As soon as the door shut behind her, I walked to the kitchen. I wondered if the food she had was different from what I had been fed so far on Earth. Not particularly pleasant food. I wasn't sure where to start, so I opened the biggest thing, which happened to be the fridge. There were a variety of bottles, containers, and unusual fruits and vegetables. One by one, I took out some of the fruits and vegetables, smelling them. None of it looked familiar, but I got distracted by the cool air coming from the fridge, having never used such a machine. Suddenly, the fridge made a loud noise that made me step back in surprise. It sounded... angry. The persistent beeping pierced my ears, and I slammed the door shut, staring at it in silence for a decent amount of seconds. That's when I noticed a large purple bag sitting on the counter beside the fridge. I looked inside to see a small amount of puffy white things that intrigued me. Looking at the bag for a moment, I noticed that it was called "popcorn". I assumed it was edible and reached in to taste one. It was... magical. Stuffing more pieces into my mouth, the experience only got better. The sweet and salty flavors woke my taste buds.

"Emmeline?" The door to the apartment opened, and Rebecca walked in. Immediately seeing me, her expression became livid. "There is no way..." her head snapped over to Emmeline as she too entered the room, "Please tell me you didn't do this. I was really hoping he had taken you by force or something to show you at least had some common sense left in you!" Emmeline was taken aback by this comment.

"Why are you back so soon?" Was the only thing Emmeline could bring herself to say.

"The psych ward contacted me and said you and Winter both disappeared. Do you know how worried I was?! Now look at the trouble you caused. You're getting fired for this!"

Although she was expecting it, it was still hard for her to hear.

"I didn't care for that job anyway..." Emmeline mumbled and sat on the couch, covering her face with her hands.

"Em, please, we can't be doing this. Not right now. What are you going to do without a job?"

After a few moments, Emmeline looked up and spoke stubbornly, "Winter said I can travel with him. I won't need one." Her voice was unsteady and afraid, but she held her ground. Both of them looked at me, one in despair and the other in anger. What could I do?

"Again with Winter?!" Rebecca's eyes slightly narrowed. "Emmeline, I swear–"

Emmeline lashed out, "Stop treating me like I'm stupid!" I backed up, placing the popcorn bag on the counter and stared at the ground. "How can you speak so lowly of me when you're no better?!"

"You barely know him! And who was the one who studied his DNA here? He's an alien! A freak of nature–"

"And aren't we the same to him?" Suddenly calming down, Emmeline seemed to stare right through Rebecca and at nothing in particular.

The argument continued. I froze at the rising intensity of the words the sisters were using.

"He's blinding you to the truth of reality, Emmeline. You need to wake up!"

"No. You just have a cold heart. You've never been able to trust anyone, not even me. You expect every person to turn out like Dad, but it's not true." I could see her holding back her anger, but her statement still seemed harsh.

Rebecca huffed and turned her head away, looking down, "He followed crazy whims and was never in touch with reality. Sometimes you remind me of him, and it scares me."

"This is different and you know it."

"Is it?" Her tone softened, and it made me frown a bit.

"Whether you like it or not, Winter is real. His stories are real. If only you would listen to the things he's done!" She paused for a moment, preparing herself to continue, "You're just blinded by the past. I know it's hard to move on, but you have to. There's so much happiness in this world, if only you let yourself have it! I know you're afraid of letting others in because they might hurt you. But sometimes you just know that certain people will never let you down." At these words, she looked at me, her anger dissipating.

Rebecca seemed hurt, having no more words to say. Slowly looking over at me and down at the empty popcorn bag, she stated, "I was saving that."

I glanced down at it, then looked up at her, "I'm sorry..."

Walking up to the couch and sitting beside her sister, Rebecca said in an apologetic tone, "I'm not going to change my mind, Emmeline. But... I don't want to fight with you. We don't have to agree, but can we get along?" Her eyes expressed her exhaustion and stress from the day.

"Of course," Emmeline replied gently, and held her arms out to hug Rebecca. They embraced, and I stood still, a little confused at what I had just witnessed.

There was a knock at the door. I turned to look, then back at the sisters.

"That's probably Jimmy." Rebecca said, wiping tears from her cheeks.

"Should I let him in?" I asked as I walked towards the door. After Rebecca nodded, I opened it. A tall man with messy ginger hair and pale skin smiled at me, slightly puzzled.

"Hi... Are you Jimmy?" This was awkward.

"Yeah, I'm here to see Rebecca," Jimmy replied, peeking over my shoulder where Rebecca and Emmeline were standing. I backed up to let him in, almost tripping over my own feet, and accidentally bumped into Emmeline.

"Winter... this is Jimmy, my boyfriend," Rebecca said, a little rattled still, "and Jimmy, this is... Winter."

We smiled at each other in greeting, and Jimmy said, "Nice to meet you! How do you know Rebecca and Emmeline?"

"He was one of Emmeline's patients... he's from Canada." I glanced at Rebecca, surprised at how easily and well she lied. "I invited Jimmy over for dinner. I hope you don't mind...?"

"Not at all!" Emmeline replied and moved into the living area to give them space, and I followed behind her.

We sat together on the couch, Emmeline immediately speaking, "I'm so sorry that you had to hear that... I'm sure that must have made you feel uncomfortable. We don't agree on a lot of things." I nodded, ready to change the subject. I was honestly still a little shocked by the whole scene, but I didn't want to say anything about it. We just sat in silence for a time. I could sense that Emmeline felt embarrassed, so I gave her a reassuring smile.

"I want to travel with you, Winter. Where should we go?"

"Anywhere you wish. I want to see the very best of Earth—"

"Hey," Rebecca broke the silence, holding two large square boxes in her hands, "The pizza came." Standing up, Emmeline gestured for me to follow her to the table.

We all sat down around the glass table. I looked inside the box to see pizza for the first time. A strange sight, but I was excited. If popcorn could be that amazing, I couldn't imagine what else there was for me to try. I had to watch everyone else take a bite of their slice before I understood how to eat pizza myself. It was unlike anything I had before.

"This is fantastic!" I blurted before taking another bite. "What is it made of?"

This statement resulted in a strange look from Jimmy at first, but he laughed it off and said, "It's Mario's Pies. I think they use a few types of cheese..."

"Cheese..." I repeated as I take another bite. It tasted different than any other cheese I ever had.

"What's your line of work, Winter?" Asked Jimmy, genuinely curious.

I swallowed, thought for a moment, noticed Rebecca's warning glance, and said, "I... don't know what the word would be..." Although I was almost fluent in this language, I still struggled at times to find the right words. "I travel to many places to help the less fortunate. Infrastructure, government, and the like."

"Ah. A philanthropist." Replied Jimmy, "I have great respect for that."

"What do you do?" I asked in return.

"I'm a journalist. Speaking of which, did you hear about what happened in New Mexico?" Seeing the clueless faces around him, Jimmy explained, "A strange hammer was found lying in the middle of the desert near Puente Antiguo. Some people thought it was a satellite. It attracted a lot of attention."

"What was it? Just some hammer?" Rebecca asked, biting into her second slice of pizza.

"Yeah, but get this! No one could pick it up. From what I heard, everyone was unsuccessful. To make a long story short, the government sent their research unit to seal off the area and try to figure out what this thing was. I'm not allowed to know anything more than that." He continued eating.

"Huh... not even the government knows?" Emmeline spoke up for the first time. She barely ate anything, still too upset for an appetite.

"Well, they didn't at first. They might've figured it out, but the story is still developing, so I don't know." The conversation continued, sometimes about things I was oblivious about, but I enjoyed getting to know Jimmy, and even Rebecca. The sky became dark before I knew it.

"Where are you staying tonight, Winter?" Rebecca cut in, "You can't stay here. We have a rule about no men overnight." I hadn't even thought twice about staying anywhere.

"I—I actually haven't thought about it... it is getting late..." I looked out the tall window behind Emmeline and found the full white moon staring back.

"Oh, you can definitely stay with me." Jimmy replied, his tone welcoming. "My apartment is just down the hallway. I don't have an extra bedroom, but there's a pull-out couch that you're welcome to sleep on."

"Thank you, I'll take you up on that offer."

Jimmy nodded his head up.

"I'm really tired," Rebecca stated, standing up to put the remaining pizza in the fridge. "I need to head to bed before I go to..." She stopped in her tracks and looked sadly at Emmeline, knowing that her sister didn't have a job to go back to. Biting her lip, Emmeline held her eyes on a spot on the table. I wanted to hold her hand, but I didn't know if that would make anything worse.

Jimmy, not noticing this interaction, joined Rebecca in the kitchen, hugging her from behind and whispering something in her ear.

Turning towards Emmeline, I whispered, "What is a boyfriend?"

She seemed surprised by the unexpected question, but with slightly raised eyebrows, she replied, "It's like... when you have strong feelings for someone, or want to show love to someone, you become boyfriend and girlfriend." I glanced back at the couple in the kitchen then back to Emmeline.

"That makes sense."

After a minute or two, Jimmy announced that he was leaving.

"Are you joining me, Winter?"

Emmeline's sad expression hurt my heart, and I wanted to cheer her up before leaving, so I shook my head.

"I'm going to stay a little longer. Where is your apartment?"

"It's just to the left, two doors down, number 106." He headed for the door, patting my back as he walked by, "See ya soon."

The place grew quiet, no one knowing what to say but continue in silent actions. Rebecca lit a candle that rested on the counter, filling the room with the sweet aroma of cinnamon. As I watched Emmeline, whose gaze was wavering to her hands, I gave her a gentle smile before she could fully look away. The corners of her lips tugged upwards. I believed it worked.

"I'm going to sleep now..." Rebecca muttered, stifling a yawn, "It's been a long day." She left the room, leaving Emmeline and I alone. I took her delicate hand in mine.

"Are you feeling better from earlier?" I asked, expressing as much sympathy as I could.

"It's worse in some ways," She began, "It's not easy knowing that I'll be fired. And... I hate fighting. I wish Rebecca and I had a better relationship... We used to be closer." I could feel the tension in her hand.

"What severed you?" My expression filled with a bit of concern.

"After our parents divorced, she became bitter. Even then, we still got along, but I think that she held in how much it hurt her until she became a completely different person. She used to be so happy..." Her brow furrowed as she spoke, remembering a painful past. "I think she forgot how to love other people, or doesn't want to. She thinks it's all shallow. I... don't think she even cares much for Jimmy. I do know that she's afraid of being alone."

"It must have been hard on her. Have you tried reaching out to her? Letting her know she's not alone?"

"I've tried. Her opinion of love has made her only trust herself. I hate seeing her this way! She used to be so open, telling me everything. Now she hides away. But... I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'd just like to forget." She closed her eyes. Held my hand tighter. I had no advice to give in the matter.

Silence endured. I suddenly cocked my head and asked, "Was your hair always this wavy?"

"Yeah...?" Replied Emmeline, her features lighting up in amusement.

"Sorry, that was random," I chuckled, "It's pretty, that's what I want to say."

Rebecca, walking into the room with a tired look in her eyes, paused for a moment, surprised that I hadn't left yet. In understanding, I stood up to take my leave.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Both of you."

Rebecca nodded, "Goodnight, Winter."

Once Rebecca left, Emmeline and I both stood up. Her voice was quieter and had a different, polite tone, "I had a lot of fun. Thank you for spending so much time with me. I'm sure there's more interesting things you could be doing right now."

"No... I don't think so." My voice was quieter too, trembling slightly. I wanted to reach out and hold her hand again. I wanted to hold her tightly. We walked towards the door, but before I left, I turned around.

"Emmeline?"

"Yes?" She looked about as nervous as I was. Terrified but excited.

"I..." My words were stuck in my throat as I gazed into her perfect eyes, "I don't know what the customs on Earth are for these things... but I've never met someone who has made me feel this way before. I want to get to know you better." Her cheeks turned to an adorable shade of red. "I love every moment we spend together. Thank you for everything." Not knowing what to do next, I began opening the door behind me while savoring the look on her face.

She stopped me by taking my hand in hers and said, "Wait. Don't leave yet." There was a silence between us as my heart melted holding her hand. "I don't know your customs, but I know that my heart beats faster when you're around. I feel happier than ever when I see your smile... I want to know everything about you. Will I see you again tomorrow?"

"Of course. We can go somewhere together."

"I'll come get you when I'm ready." She gave me a playful smile that filled me with excitement to see her again. I didn't want to let go, but I did. Once the door closed behind me, I could finally breathe again.


	7. Chapter 7: A World of Beauty

The sun awoke me, its warmth making me smile before I even opened my eyes. In my mind's eye, all I could see was Emmeline. Hearing her voice in my ears over and over, that light, crystal clear tone, my heart nearly skipped a beat. She was definitely changing me and for the better. Opening my eyes, I sat up, hearing Jimmy's snores from his bedroom. Humans really do sleep for a long time. I was used to waking up with the sun, even sometimes beating it, so the thought of sleeping any later confused me.

Yawning with a stretch, I then stood up, deciding to get ready for the day and wait for Emmeline to come get me. There was no use waiting for Jimmy. By the sound of his snores, it would be awhile before he woke up. I didn't have a very wide selection of clothing. Only a grey top and some comfy pants that were the color of sand. Human clothes were so free and easy to move in. I enjoyed wearing them much more than the robes and trousers from my home world.

I looked at the clock. Most humans slept much later than I did, so I assumed I'd have to wait a few hours. My eyes scanned the small room for something to do. I had my fill of television, despite its technology being quite fascinating. But the channels were filled with advertisements that interrupted every show. Even the human shows of talking were filled with petty discussions. Very disappointing. A bookshelf filled with books caught my eye. Examining the collection from top to bottom, I pulled out a book titled something along the lines of _How to Talk to People_, which I immediately put back and chose another titled _Les Misérables_ by Victor Hugo. It was huge, so I was sure to be preoccupied.

The hours went by quickly as I was immersed in the tragic story. Reading about the sad tale of France broke my heart. I wanted to help those people... A knock on the door broke me from the story. I opened it to reveal Emmeline, rosy cheeks and a blue dress falling just above her knees.

"Good morning, Winter," she spoke, shyly and sweetly.

"Emmeline," I replied, my stomach flipping at the sound of her voice, "Are you an early riser too, or have I just lost myself in these books?"

"Ahh, I'm not an early riser by choice. I always had to be at work early... and I went there today to be officially fired." A gloomy frown followed these words, but she immediately turned it around and said, "Never mind that! I have an idea on where we can go today! It's close by, so we don't need to use the compass yet. I'm not sure that I'm ready for it." I nodded, completely understanding why it would make her nervous. But the morning seemed so melancholy, I was determined to improve her day to its fullest.

Straightening as my mind perked up, hoping a cheerful demeanor would begin to help, I asked, "And where are we going?"

Smiling widely, Emmeline replied, "I thought it would be exciting for you to see the animals we have on Earth! There's a zoo nearby." She could tell I had no clue what that meant, so she added, "They take care of animals abandoned or injured in the wild, and we can see them. I promise it's fun!"

"I'm sure it is! I love that idea!"

...

Our conversations remained small as I was captivated by this new place. Looking past the crowds and into the various enclosures, I peered at the fascinating creatures of Earth, admiring their habits and innocent nature. Although I had seen countless species in many unique worlds, the wonder I experienced with each new creature never wavered.

"Look, it's a giraffe!" Emmeline pointed at a horse-like creature with an incredibly large neck. My eyes widened in astonishment, and I walked slowly towards the magnificent creature. Emmeline laughed at me and my facial expressions, and I couldn't help laughing at myself as well. But my mind was entranced by the... giraffe.

"I think this is the best animal I've seen so far. It's incredible! Do they make noise?"

"Not often." She shrugged, peering up at the nearest one.

We continued looking at other animals, some that were familiar such as deer and wolves, reminding me of creatures I had seen on various other planets, but the ostrich, elephant, and many others were entirely new and interesting. Making our way into the reptile and amphibian building for cool air, I found myself looking straight into the eyes of a mini, wing-less dragon.

"Is that... a baby dragon?" I asked, eyes wide. Assuming Earth had no dragons, I was shocked by the sight.

Giggling, Emmeline pointed at the animal behind the glass, "That? That's a bearded dragon. It's not actually a dragon. Just a lizard."

I nodded as I inched closer to the glass. Although it wasn't a dragon, it was somehow satisfying seeing a similar, but much smaller, creature. Continuing through, the snakes were animals I had seen on many planets, but there were a mix of frogs, turtles, and lizards that I was seeing for the first time. The various colors were wonderful, and I began to love this planet even more. Why did others think so lowly of it?

To wake me from my dreamy thoughts, Emmeline grabbed my arm and pulled me from the exhibit to another. She didn't tell me what it was, but when I saw it for myself, I was beyond mesmerized to find my words. The walls were covered in glass, water engulfing the other side. I had never seen such a sight. Approaching the glass, I slowly placed my palm on its cool exterior, watching every unique creature swim by. Humans walked passed and watched for a few minutes before departing, but I could not bring myself to leave. The entire room sparkled with the reflection the water made with the sun's rays, and shadows of the fish danced across the floor. I felt like a child, and I'm most certain it showed in my smile.

Looking over at Emmeline, who had an expression on her face similar to mine, I asked, "What is this room called?"

"The aquarium." She responded, looking at the glass on the ceiling to watch the fish swim over us. Her eyes sparkled and mine glowed with delight.

"It's wonderful..." I breathed out, going to the other side quickly to see what other new sea creatures there were. "What are these?!"

"Those are jellyfish." Emmeline laughed. "They're cool, right?"

"So colorful! And... squishy." We both laughed.

"Oh! Look at the sea rays over here!" She rushed me over to another wall, and I saw the rays swim by, their long tails trailing behind their slim bodies, not unlike the water spirits I had seen in Alfheim's waters.

"Whoa, look over there!" I exclaimed, noticing its shadow before the creature itself. "That one's huge..."

"And look at the little baby ones!" Emmeline nearly squealed. "These weren't here the last time I came."

Gasping, I replied, "I love them."

The pure joy in her voice made me look over. The water reflection sparkled on her face. She looked so happy. Her joy added to mine, and we admired the aquarium together.

"There's another room in here." She motioned to a small entrance across the room. "Wanna check it out?"

Nodding, I complied. My curiosity had long since bubbled over, I couldn't stop craving these new experiences. This is where the other people had disappeared into. Young children gently splashed their hands around in a pool of water while their parents watched. I approached the pool, Emmeline following as I slowly peered into the water, eyes widening as little hands touched various sea creatures that swam around.

"Can I touch them too?" My eyes shone with excitement as I pulled Emmeline closer to the water. She nodded and my smile grew, hands immediately moving through the water. It was cold, my fingers digging into the sand on the bottom. I loved the way it felt. Reaching around to touch everything I could, I brushed what Emmeline told me was a starfish. It was hard and rough, but a beautiful light pink. My fingers then poked an octopus. It was squishy so I poked it again, making sure to be careful. The small tentacles gently wrapped around my fingers, and I made sure Emmeline was seeing every second. She pointed towards the sea urchins, little crabs and another starfish, my eyes widening with wonder. To imagine a whole ocean of these creatures made me smile.

"Look at the little black crab!" Emmeline tapped my shoulder, pointing and reaching ahead as I did the same. In that moment, her hand brushed mine, and I held my breath, freezing in place. Our heads slowly turned towards each other, neither of us knowing what to say or do. I felt numb to everything else. A smile tugged, my heart skipping a beat as my instinct told me to brush back and then meander her hand into mine.

"This is my favorite part, I think." I told her, my voice soft as I let the smile grow, and although she smiled back, I could sense that she wasn't ready.

"I-I..." she tried to find her voice. "Do you wanna see something else?" She withdrew her hands gently, nervously. Not wanting her to be uncomfortable, although I admit it was disappointing, I nodded. There was always something exciting around the corner, and in a moment I would forget.

"Penguins!" Emmeline announced, full of excitement. "Those are king penguins, and those are gentoo. Aren't they so cute?! I love how they waddle!" And she was exactly right. I instantly fell in love with the adorable little birds. The way they dived into the blue water, barely leaving a splash. A group of friends waddled together, back and forth along the edge of the pool.

"Do you have animals like these on your planet? Or anywhere else you've visited?" Emmeline asked, looking through the glass and not at me. I looked over at her, nevertheless.

"Not like this, at least that I've seen." I spoke, looking again at the penguins. My hand ached to reach out for hers again, but I held back.

We exited the aquarium, returning to the zoo. When I asked where we would go next, Emmeline stopped and took my hand in hers. "We've seen almost everything." She spoke, seemingly ignoring what she just did, but I felt it. "We can leave, and maybe get something to eat?"

"I love that idea," I affirmed, squeezing her hand a little tighter.

As we walked, we passed a few more notable, but familiar animals, such as bison and eagles. Near the exit, Emmeline stopped at a large, black box. Contained by a window of glass were a variety of plastic bags and wrappers advertising food inside.

"This is a vending machine." Emmeline explained and pointed out the different types of snacks it held. "What do you want to try?"

"So many options... Maybe the gummy bears? That is an interesting name." After a moment of thought, Emmeline inserted coins into the machine, pressed a few buttons, and the magic of machinery commenced. I watched as the black spirals turned and dropped the yellow bag of gummy bears. Again, Emmeline put more coins into the machine, and the spirals turned. This time, it dropped a honey bun. Then, she put her hand into the slot at the bottom, pulling out our treats.

I opened the bag of bears, my nose struck with the scent. Oddly sweet and strange. The candies were of different colors, none of them close to the bears I had seen today or any food I had ever tried, but I popped one into my mouth anyway. The chewy snack was mysteriously wonderful.

"Ooo I like this," I murmured as I went in again, this time for a handful. Glancing up at Emmeline, I saw her open the bag of her sweet pastry.

"Do you want to try some?" She asked, tempting me with the sight of sugar. I could smell the intense sweetness coming from it, and I couldn't resist. As she held it up for me, I took a bite of the soft, glazed bread.

"This is very sweet! I've never tasted anything besides fruit that was this sweet... gummy bears aren't fruit, right?"

Shaking her head with a giggle, Emmeline replied, "No, they're the furthest away you can get from fruit. Probably terrible for you, just like this." She gestured to her food and took another bite. Although I disliked eating something potentially harmful, I didn't want to appear ungrateful. I did enjoy the gummy bears, so I finished the bag as we walked out of the zoo.

"Sorry that I didn't have something incredibly exciting for us to do. And the food is well... lacking." Emmeline spoke, shyly, avoiding my gaze.

"Every new experience is exciting to me. The food is as well! I enjoyed this thoroughly! And all that mattered was spending time with you."

"Oh," Emmeline mumbled, as her cheeks turned to that cute bright red that made my heart pound. "I..." she laughed nervously, "I'm really glad that you wanted to come with me. I enjoy your company a lot." Breaking through her timidity, she looked up at me, her uniquely strong and ethereal stare focused on my eyes. "Maybe... maybe you can take me somewhere... I'd like that."

All I wanted to do was to take the compass from my pocket and whisk her away to a paradise, but her slow nature intrigued me. The calmness radiating from her character impacted me down to my core, and I desired to be slow with her, for the first time.


	8. Chapter 8: The Key to Your Heart

_Winter: After a few days, Emmeline and I finally went on our first adventure with the compass._

_Layten: Where did you go?_

_Winter: Well, at that point, I was nearly finished with reading Les Miserables..._

...

My mind was constantly wandering as I tried to continue reading. There were about fifty pages left in the thick book, but all I could think about was seeing Emmeline later that day. She was ready to experience the world through the compass, and I was bursting with excitement. Trying to focus on each word, my eyes disobeyed and skipped over multiple words so that nothing processed in my head. Closing the book with a sigh, I stood up, pacing the room.

After a moment, Jimmy walked in, his hair a complete mess.

"How are you always up so early?" He asked, stretching his arms above him. Before something about not being human slipped out of my mouth, I remembered that I was from _Canada_.

"I... just don't need to sleep as much."

Rubbing his eyes and shrugging, Jimmy pushed back a yawn and asked, "When's the next date with Emmeline?"

"Date?" My first thought was the fruit, but that didn't make any sense in my mind.

"Yeah dude... like... aren't you two dating? As in, boyfriend and girlfriend?" His voice was slow and groggy.

"Oh..." I thought for a moment, not sure how I wanted to answer that question, "I don't know, honestly. I'd like to be her boyfriend."

"Why don't you ask her, then?"

"That's all I have to do?"

"Yeah. That's what I did with Rebecca." His brows were slightly furrowed as if he thought I was a very confused man. "Bruh, you've never had a girlfriend, have you?"

"No. In my culture, things like that aren't common. We just... get married when we find the right person." It was difficult to explain without mentioning visions. Everyone on Vanaheim are given visions for important matters such as marriage.

Jimmy raised his eyebrows, "I didn't think Canada was so conservative."

I hated this lie, but I continued it anyway, "It is."

"Huh... Well I guess I've never really seen a whole lot of it." His thoughts seemed to derail for a moment. "So are you taking her out anywhere? I just wanna know what you'll be up to."

My eyes drifted to the book sitting on the couch. France. That would be an adventure.

"France," I said, absentmindedly.

"What? Really?! You're taking her that far for only a day?"

His concern was a bit off putting, so I answered, "I don't know what we're doing. I just thought France would be interesting."

He sighed. "You really are a hopeless romantic, Winter. Just like Emmeline. But I do think you would be really great together."

Smiling, I replied, "I think so too." Imagining Emmeline as a girlfriend, and maybe even a wife, was pleasing to me.

I noticed that it was about time for me to meet up with her, so I thanked Jimmy for the talk and walked with light and energetic steps to Emmeline's door. Never had any other door filled me both with incredible confidence and self-consciousness. My feelings for Emmeline were a Pandora's box of contradictions, and I loved every second. If only I could just open it...

Emmeline opened the door before I could knock.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, jumping back a little in surprise, "I didn't expect you to be there!"

"I'm sorry if I frightened you." I replied with a gentle tone and an outstretched hand. The weight of a thousand words I wanted to confess rested on my chest. I wanted to tell her she looked beautiful, that her eyes were entrancing, that the wonderful thoughts she had gave me a new love for life, but all I could do was freeze in the presence of this angel.

"No, it's ok," she laughed, and her shy eyes looked up at mine. "What are we doing today?" Today, her soft curls rested freely on her shoulders, and she, as always, tucked the right side behind her ear in habit.

"I... I want to take you to France." I tried to keep my voice steady, my heart pounding tremors through my veins. "I am hoping it's beautiful. I want to repay you for all the wonderful things you've shown me."

"I haven't shown you much at all! You don't need to repay me in any way. But, France is beautiful, and I'd love to go there with you."

My smile grew and sincerity filled my eyes. "You have shown me more than you realize. I already learned so much." I quickly collected my thoughts. "So you will go?"

"I'll go anywhere with you."

My spirits lifted and I wanted to pull her into my arms, but instead, I took the compass from my pocket and stepped closer to her. "May we go now?"

"Of course." Her voice held a light giggle. My heart leapt and I held the compass between us, offering to let her spin the needle. She and I felt ourselves lift away, awaking in a new land.

...

The sky was dim upon our arrival. Lights from street lamps, vehicles and buildings were the earth's stars. I marveled at its wonder. The midst of the city was far more beautiful than I could have imagined, and greater than the book described it to be.

"Oh Winter..." Emmeline breathed out from beside me, "it's more beautiful than I ever imagined." Her words voiced my thoughts. That made me smile.

"Where shall we go?" I asked, holding her hand close to my chest.

"Anywhere!" Her giddy voice exclaimed, eyes eager to explore. She rushed ahead, pulling me behind her and I laughed.

The shadow of a tower caught our eyes and our steps slowed, necks craning to see the top.

"That's the Eiffel Tower." Emmeline explained. "We can tour it. Do you want to?"

My eyes lit up as if reflecting the lights of the city. "Oh yes! We'd be able to see the entire city from up there!"

She giggled. My chest fluttered. We were already having such a wonderful time. "Come on," she spoke through a wide smile, "let's figure out how to get up there."

From the puddles on the sidewalks, it was clear that it had rained, and the ozone smell still floated in whisps throughout the atmosphere, but it seemed to make the city all the more beautiful. Now, even the ground reflected the lights I admired.

"_Bonjour_! Lovely night to the both of you!" A man spoke out to us, leaning on the back of his stand with assorted souvenirs. He tipped his hat and we slowed our walking pace to acknowledge the man. I gave a light wave.

"Hello! Do you know where we can get on the tour to the top of the Eiffel Tower?" Emmeline asked him, casting a hopeful smile.

"You'll see a ticket booth right beside the base. Not too expensive, and the tour will not disappoint! Is this your first time, _Mademoiselle_?" His peculiar accent fascinated me.

"Both of ours." Emmeline replied, motioning toward the two of us with a light flick of her hand. "Thank you for your help!"

"Enjoy your night. _Au revoir_!"

"What an interesting accent." I voiced my thoughts out loud as we walked. I hadn't realized I did until I heard Emmeline's laugh. It made my lips tug into the widest smile. Her laughter, however, was suddenly cut off in exclamation when she pointed, saying,

"Look! The tower!"

The sun had set, the faint glow of sunlight that had remained was gone until the next morning, replaced by the exuberant lights of the tower before us.

"I forgot that it lights up at night." Emmeline spoke, her voice so gentle. "It's even prettier than the pictures I've seen."

Yes, it was. The lights sparkled as if they were jewels made of sunlight, warming the atmosphere with their unmatchable glow. Now, even the stars seemed dull in comparison.

As we searched for the ticket booth, we didn't mind taking our time. After all, the time seemed to pass quickly as we shared various conversations, talking about things we already knew we liked about the city. Emmeline overheard a couple talking about the restaurant halfway up the tower, and she suggested we try it. I was always open to new experiences, so I nodded in agreement.

We paid for our tickets, deciding to take the stairs instead of the elevator. I wanted to do so in order for our experience to last longer. Beginning our climb was wonderful, every step bringing us higher and higher. We didn't mind the exercise, either. The more we climbed, the more I could see. I marveled with Emmeline at the sights below, seeing just how small everything had become, the lights from the cars flashing by on the road, and the people walking by that looked no larger than insects. I wondered if they knew just what a beautiful world they lived in.

Our stomachs bubbled with excitement, leaving hardly any room for food by the time we arrived at the restaurant, "58 Tour Eiffel". Emmeline insisted that I at least try what she called _macarons_. Continuing our climb thereafter, we headed for the top when the other people didn't care to make it that high. It was a long walk, I'll give them that, but the view at the very top of the tower was so very rewarding in more ways than I could count.

"Winter, look!" Emmeline pointed out towards the horizon, mere shadows of what was miles away. I was still astounded. It made me want to explore it, to see what was even further than this city.

"What a wonderful sight!" My voice came out in an awe-filled whisper while I could sense Emmeline's growing smile.

"The pictures could never do it justice." She replied. "Have you ever been this high up?"

"Yes, when I climbed mountains to get across a terrain, but I never stopped to truly take in the view. And this... this is nothing like I've seen before."

Emmeline rested her elbows on the rail, cupping her face in her hands. "That's exactly how I feel."

Our conversation came to a pause, the both of us wanting nothing more than to remember this moment forever. I gazed up at the stars, smiling at the way they sparkled and truly realizing how different they were from the stars on Vanaheim. These were much farther away and you could only see half the galaxy.

"Winter?" Emmeline's voice returned me to reality.

I turned my head to face her. "Hmm?"

"How long do you plan to stay on Earth?"

Her question surprised me. "As long as I am able. Do you think I would leave without you?"

She bit her lower lip. "I sometimes remember the stories you've told me. They were so wonderful, you had amazing adventures. I wonder if you'd want to return to that."

"I do love adventures, but I also told you I had been looking for something. And I found it: you." I held her hand.

Something in her blue eyes sparkled. "You still have yet to show me what's beyond Earth."

"And that is exactly why I cannot leave without you!" My hands gently grabbed her forearms, turning her to fully face me. "You are the piece that my life was missing, and now that I've found you, I must have you with me. There is so much for you to see! Alfheim, Nornheim, Asgard, Berhert, Vadella... and especially Vanaheim."

"Your home?"

"Yes! I want you to meet Papa, Dmitry, Ana... my whole family. They will love you, I know they will!"

I didn't realize how enthusiastic I had become until Emmeline started laughing. Loosening my grip to lower my hands, I regained my bearings.

"This is just the beginning of my adventure." A playful smile tugged at my lips.

"I'm willing to go anywhere you want to take me." She said, the moon sparkling in her eyes like a looking glass. "This is the start of my adventure, too."

We held a gaze, long and understanding. My heart raced at the feeling of her warm breath. I realized just how close we were. This was it. The start of something... new. Something wonderful. My visions were becoming reborn into a newfound reality.

As this love and ecstasy filled my heart, I pulled her into a warming hug.


	9. Chapter 9: You Can Trust Me

The carpet floor of the apartment hallway met our feet as we returned, the strange smell that Emmeline called "air freshener" became prominent as it always was. Our trip to Paris had been so magical. I could see Emmeline's blue irises still reflecting the wonder my heart felt. Her hand was in mine, pulsing warmth through my body. And now, she was home.

"Thank you." She spoke, her hand resting on the knob of the apartment door. "It was a wonderful date." She seemed shy saying so and my lips tugged into a smile. She was so bashful.

"I loved what you showed me. Paris was beautiful, it only makes me wonder what all of Earth is like."

Emmeline giggled. "It would take a lifetime to visit every place worth seeing. But I'm sure your worlds are much more interesting."

"Every world is unique in their own way. To say one has seen something far more interesting doesn't mean he's seen it all. And under different circumstances, I would love to go off and see every bit of this beautiful planet." I shrugged my shoulders, my voice growing soft. "But not yet. I'm not ready to leave."

"And I know why." Emmeline's reply made me stare dumbfoundedly at the knowing smile she possessed. "When do we leave together?"

I blinked. "You'd be willing to leave at any time?"

"Winter, I told you I would be willing to go anywhere you want to take me."

"Yes, but I didn't expect it to be this soon."

"I expected it. And the girl is always right." She winked playfully and my shoulders relaxed again.

The air between us held its breath and Emmeline took her hand off of the doorknob. One step closer to me... and then another. Her lips met my cheek.

"Thank you again. I don't remember the last time I smiled this much."

Her words filled my heart with life and I reflected her smile.

"So am I your boyfriend yet?"

An uncomfortable amount of silence endured as Emmeline stared, obviously not expecting that question as a reply. It made me nearly want to take it back.

"What?" She was trying not to laugh and I became embarrassed.

I tried to get the words out. "Well, you said when two people have strong feelings for each other or want to show love... they become boyfriend and girlfriend. How do I become your boyfriend?

She looked at the ground bashfully, her cheeks turning pink. "Uhh... I don't know. I guess you just ask?

The answer seemed so obvious. And maybe Emmeline thought the same, but I couldn't quite read her expression. Nevertheless, I grew solemn and asked,

"Emmeline Hahn... will you be my girlfriend?"

She seemed dumbfounded, but maybe it was forced. Yet the only word that came out of her mouth was,

"Please."

It wasn't until her playful smile returned that I was able to relax again, and even still, my heart skipped a few beats. She gave me one last hug, and then I knew we had to part for the evening. Her hand rested on the doorknob once more as we shared one final expression of gratitude.

Then the door snapped open, pulling Emmeline inside with it. My smile dropped as I heard an unhappy voice. Rebecca's. She stepped into the hallway with a condescending glare, almost a hatred in her eyes.

"Come in. I want to talk to you." She stated, although her voice was not at all inviting. Rebecca never seemed to find a reason to be inviting towards me. I followed her in anyway.

This wasn't how I wanted the evening to end, and I kept telling myself I would solve whatever problem I had caused as I walked in. Emmeline's entire demeanor had changed and she was standing near the door. Her smile was gone.

"Where have you two been all day?" Rebecca asked us, sounding like a mother scolding her two children and trying to hold her patience.

"I will be honest..." I began, although Emmeline shook her head to stop me, "We went to Paris."

"You left the country?!" Rebecca's eyes went wide as her voice raised.

Before I could add anything, Emmeline spoke up,

"Yeah. We did. And you can't do anything about it."

"I promise I have no intention of harm! I just wanted to impress her..." I said, attempting to be a peacemaker.

Rebecca grew frustrated. "You can't just leave like that! Especially without my consent, Emmeline!"

"When did you decide to become my mom? Watch me leave again, because I can't live with you treating me like I'm a prisoner." Her words were sharp, cutting the argument short as she turned to leave. This caused Rebecca's expression to shift. I could tell she was only worried for her younger sister.

"Em, don't walk away from this!" She seemed to swallow that tender emotion and masked it with anger.

"What do you expect me to say, Rebecca?" Asked Emmeline in a tearful voice, her back still turned.

"You're both at fault!" Rebecca turned towards me, ignoring Emmeline's question entirely. I wanted this to end. "You encourage her to do things she shouldn't, Winter! I can't trust you!"

I spoke up, "Rebecca. I understand that you don't approve of me, but I want to prove to you that I would never do anything to harm either one of you. Can we please talk about this calmly? I don't know what I can do to prove myself, but I'd like to try." Emmeline looked at me with a gentle smile that encouraged me. "I know you're just worried about Emmeline, but I care about her too."

Yet, instead of settling her with my words, I seemed to put her off. "Then why do you fill her head with stories of other worlds and foreign creatures and promise to take her to see them?! Don't confuse my sister, and don't you dare try to take her away!"

I was at a loss for words. Her fears reminded me of how dangerous my life could be. In that moment, I realized, truly realized, that I would have to change my life drastically to be with Emmeline, who responded for me, "I'm not confused. I know now more than ever what I want to do."

"Oh I bet you do." Retorted Rebecca with such sarcasm as her arms crossed. Her lips pressed into a thin line. There was no denying she was mad.

"Winter, I think you should leave. You don't need to hear this. I'm sorry." Emmeline said, trying to ignore Rebecca.

"This argument is about me, and I want to do what I can to make things better." I responded, "Rebecca, I don't think fighting is going to help. Could we maybe talk in private?"

"I'm not willing to let any of you leave until I've said all that's needed to be said!" Her voice broke just a little.

"Then say it." Ordered Emmeline.

"I..." the anger in Rebecca's eyes began to fade. "I worry for you. And Winter is leading you on these fairytales and making you believe something you shouldn't." There was only silence that followed for a moment.

"It's really great that you worry about me, and I don't want to upset you. But, the things Winter tells me about aren't fairytales. They're real. I know that I have to be careful, but life isn't about staying safe. Sometimes, to be happy, you have to take risks. I'm sorry if it's scary to you, it's scary to me too. But I think I found something that's worth the risk."

"It's bad enough that you try to get me to trust things that are real, but this–"

"What can I do to prove that it's real?" I interjected.

Rebecca opened her mouth to speak, but closed it right after, having no answer to give. Her eyes lowered to the floor and we grew silent. I could hear a soft patter of rain on the window and a sniffle or two coming from Emmeline.

"All I want is to prove that I'm being honest and trustworthy. Emmeline is important to me, and that means you are too."

Those words at last brought a turn. Rebecca's eyes grew soft and she turned to Emmeline to see if they reflected the same emotion I expressed.

"Rebecca, please talk to him. I think you will understand how I feel." Emmeline said and went into her room before Rebecca could argue. We were left standing there in silence for a moment before Rebecca offered to let me sit.

"I didn't mean to make her so upset." She admitted, her voice soft now. "Sometimes I act rashly, and I don't realize it."

"I can tell that you say these things because you care, but to Emmeline, it seems like you don't trust her. I don't want to cause any problems. I do hope I can prove myself to you though."

"Yeah... I'm sure you could. But I've always been worried about her leaving, and this is making her want to go even more."

"Why do you worry about her leaving, if you don't mind...?"

She paused, folding her hands together as if trying to collect her thoughts. I started to apologize if I was prying, but she interrupted and said,

"Ever since my parents split up, Emmeline was the only one I trusted and the only one who could keep me grounded. I haven't really handled change very well since then. If only this world was perfect..."

I thought about how to respond for a moment. It was a difficult situation to be in. "I understand how hard it can be to lose someone important to you, but even if Emmeline decides to leave, she'll never abandon you. If you tell her how much she means to you, I'm sure she could tell you the same thing. No one has a perfect life, but we can make the best of it by letting go of fear."

"You make it sound much easier than it is. I've really tried."

"Change won't happen overnight. You can make small progress, a day or even a week at a time. All of the adventures I've gone on... well it took a lot of courage to leave my family, and sometimes I still have fear when I'm traveling somewhere new. Sometimes, you just need to let go and do what your heart says is right."

A soft smile tugged on Rebecca's lips as she looked down at her folded hands.

"Do you think Emmeline would be happier leaving?"

"I think you should ask her."

"Does she even want to talk to me now?" She let out a little huff of defeat.

"I'm sure all she wants is to stop fighting."

"And I just want her to love me."

Those words were heartbreaking. I let my voice grow tender. "Then the best thing you can do is to talk to her. Just be honest and gentle."

Her smile grew a little. I was lowering her walls. "Thank you, Winter. I... I guess I was a little wrong about you."

"I'm glad that I could help."

As I watched Rebecca stand up to go talk with Emmeline, my heart eased. Neither of them deserved what they went through.

I stood up to leave, heading quietly to the door so they wouldn't try to stop me. Their gentle voices carried through the door, and I couldn't help but smile. They were on the mend. I left with that thought in my mind for the night.


	10. Chapter 10: My Entire World

_Winter: I was able to reside peacefully that night knowing Emmeline and Rebecca made amends. I no longer had to worry about separating their family._

_Layten: And what did you do next? Did you leave with Emmeline?_

_Winter: Yes, the next day. She came to me and explained that she was ready... and that was where it began._

_..._

"Are you ready?" I whispered as I looked up from the compass into the eyes that made my heart melt.

"Maybe." Emmeline responded, both excited and nervous. I could see the slightest tremble every time she took a breath and my heart reflected the same. But I tilted her chin up towards my gaze and smiled. With my eyes, I told her she would be alright, and she would love Vanaheim so much. Holding her hand, I opened the compass and the floor beneath our feet disappeared into darkness.

Reappearing in a heartbeat, our eyes opened from the darkness and gazed at the beautiful world that was my home. I saw the fjord and the village off in the distance. The golden sun was as majestic as ever and my heart leapt for joy.

"Emmeline, this is it! My home. Vanaheim." I looked to see her first impressions.

Her eyes were fixed on the scenery before her. Completely in awe. Speechless.

I grabbed her hand. "Let's go to the village. I want you to meet everyone!"

"Oh... okay." She said weakly as I led her down the dusty path. Never before did I see Vanaheim in such a beautiful light, now that I was with Emmeline. I took her through the tunnel of trees that lined the pathway towards the village. My home. My haven of family and friends. They would always be here, even though I was always leaving.

"This is it..." I exhaled the words. Every visit made my heart wrench more than the last. Now I had Emmeline, and that made it all the more delicate. "What do you think?"

"It's... wonderful!"

"You need to meet everyone! They'll love you, I promise."

I took her through the village of small and large buildings, hoping to find Dmitry first. His house was nearby.

"Winter!" I heard him call out to us and my head snapped over in his direction. I watched him drop all that he was carrying to run over and greet me. The arms of my brother pulled me into such a loving hug that I had to fight back the tears.

"Dmitry..." my voice broke. "I came back like I said I would."

"I knew you would. But I didn't expect it to be any time soon. This is wonderful."

I pulled back a little. "I came so that everyone could meet Emmeline and she could see our home."

"This is Emmeline?" Dmitry looked over my shoulder.

"Yes. She's my... girlfriend."

There was a pause. "Your... what?"

Before I could come up with a reply, two little voices called my name. My niece and nephew, Titania and Alvaro. Their little cheeks were smudged in dirt and their hair stuck up in all directions, but I scooped them into my arms and gave them the warmest hug I could muster.

"You came back!" Titania's little voice squealed in my ear, fighting with her brother for the warmest hug. "I told Alvaro you would, and he didn't believe me!"

"I was only teasing!" The little boy argued back.

I could only laugh. "Now now, you two. Enough about me. I want you to meet someone very special. This nice lady with me is Emmeline."

The two children peered over my shoulder, growing shy and quiet until she smiled and waved.

"Is she nice?" Titania whispered. I had to smile and nod.

Alvaro was the first to wiggle from my arms and greet Emmeline. He bowed his little head and said, "hello" in a soft voice. Titania went afterwards.

I could see Emmeline struggling for the perfect words to say.

"It's nice to meet you both." She paused. "I... promise I don't bite."

"Where's Ana?" I asked, turning back towards my brother.

Dmitry shifted his gaze. "Oh! She's just visiting with Papa and... helping him around the house."

"Then let's go there! I really want Papa to meet Emmeline."

"No, let's not go there now. He won't be ready to see anyone. Plus, Jaxon will want to see you."

"Cousin Jaxon?" I frowned. This was a strange turn.

"Yes! You should see how much his garden has grown since the last time you saw it."

"Still obsessed with plants, is he?"

Dmitry shrugged. "I suppose."

Trying to collect myself, I guessed that Emmeline would like to see Jaxon's garden. In my delirium, I failed to see that Dmitry was bringing me the furthest away from Papa as possible.

"Where are we going?" Emmeline asked, approaching us with the two children clinging to her arms.

"My cousin's garden." Dmitry replied, holding in a chuckle. "The children have taken a liking to you, I see."

"They were telling me about the gifts Winter brings home for them." She looked at me. "Sounds like you spoil these two."

I laughed and replied, "They're only children once."

Following the playful eye roll coming from Emmeline, we walked down the dry, stone pathway that wound through the humble houses of our village. Jaxon's rested the furthest away, his home sitting on a plot of land with a three acre garden. He lived simply when compared to the luxury of his botanic jungle. My family always found him strange, possibly deranged, the way he cared for and talked to the plants. But he was always good company. The garden was peaceful and I was curious to see how much it really had grown.

Dmitry knocked on his small, wooden door, the sign on the front falling to the pavement.

"He still hasn't fixed this?" He mumbled under his breath, picking it up and going to knock again.

The wobbly door knob began to turn, just barely holding on as the door opened. Jaxon, adjusting the dirty cap on his head, squinted his eyes at us.

"Winter?" He coughed, brushing more dust off of his trousers. He peered at Emmeline. "Is this your wife?"

I laughed. "It's good to see you too. And this is Emmeline. She's a human and has come to visit our world."

Jaxon took a step forward, eyes squinting to small slits. "You?"

Swallowing, Emmeline tried to smile and replied, "Yes... It's nice to meet you."

Jaxon was quiet, peering at her like a hawk would a mouse. There was silence. And then,

"Come in!" Jaxon merrily chuckled, pushing us through his door. "Have you come to see the garden? I have new tsohas growing near the willows!"

I looked around his one room home, drafty and dim. The bed was cramped in a corner across from the stove and two chairs sat alone in the middle for guests. He led us to a small door in the back, fumbling with the loose door knob and pulling it open.

The sunlight sparkled through the dim house, pulling us out into its glory. There were trees and leaves covering the sky, leaving cracks for the sun to shine through. A breeze rustled those leaves, a few falling to brush the air.

Emmeline's eyes widened in wonder, peering at the unique colors of every flower as if in awe that such beauty could exist. There were colors that even I had not seen, some fusing together to trick the eye.

"Do you like it?!" Jaxon squeaked, full of excitement as he hugged one of his trees. I knew it wasn't often he was able to share his garden with anyone.

Emmeline nodded. "I love it... I didn't know something so beautiful existed."

I did, every time I looked into her eyes.

"Oh, do you really like it?!" The smile on Jaxon's face grew. "The plants love attention. I was hoping by expanding the garden, it would prevent them from getting lonely while I went into town."

"You mean you actually leave your house?" Dmitry teased. "I thought this garden was your life."

"It is. But someone has to get their nails done." We paused, an uncomfortable silence settling over us. Jaxon wheezed in laughter. "I'm kidding! A man has to get out once in awhile or he'll lose his mind."

I watched him hobble off to water his trees, shaking my head in amusement. Jaxon never changed.

"He's adorable." Emmeline said, holding back her giggles.

"He's unique." I added, looking ahead to see Jaxon trip over a rock and apologize to the grass he fell on. "Come with me, I want to show you something." My hand grasped hers and I took her through the towering trees, further through the flowers that were exotic to the both of us. Plants grew over their boundaries and covered some of the path, waiting to be stepped on. I knew beyond the brush, there was a small gazebo where the trees parted, revealing the sky.

We stepped inside, and Emmeline took my other hand.

"I feel so peaceful here. It's beautiful, and it's perfect with you here... with me."

My heart lifted at her words. "Yes," my voice was soft, "it is."

Flowers and vines had twisted up the pillars of the gazebo, and I plucked a Lalé flower just for her. She smiled at the sight of the periwinkle petals with veins of red streaming across. I offered it to her just as the sun shone through the parted trees, hitting her eyes just right. I saw every color in them. The flower slipped from my hand, insignificant. She was perfect.

My hand lifted to caress her cheek. I was in awe at this angel before me. Her cheek was so soft under my palm and I brushed it with my thumb. I didn't realize how close we were until I felt her breath. I saw her eyes glance down to my lips. My heart quickened beneath my chest. There was something new in her eyes. My mind wandered to what it could be. As I drew her close, the air in my lungs seemed to freeze... and then she was in my arms for a loving hug.

I couldn't notice that Emmeline seemed to tense a little. I was trying to calm my racing heart. We pulled away and the look in her eyes was replaced with something else equally unreadable, but not as romantic.

"Is that all?"

I blinked, confused by her words for a moment until my eyebrows raised. "Oh! There's more of the garden for you to see. Down this path!" I led the way.

The trees grew even more dense until it was more forest than garden. Jaxon never let anyone step on his plants, but the paths had become nothing _but_ plants. I had no choice.

"What more is there to see?" Emmeline asked, looking over at a rose bush.

"I'm not sure. I haven't been to this part of the garden before. This must be where he expanded." Trickling water brought my attention towards a nearby brook alive with golden and silver fish.

"How big is the garden?"

"About three acres." I replied. "Jaxon likes to barter with visitors and gather as many plants from all over the universe as he can. He may even have some from Earth."

"The roses we passed?"

"No. We have roses on many other worlds, including our own. They may be common, but they certainly are beautiful, like you." Those words seemed to bring back her smile.

A short but loud scream caught our attention, and we both hurried back to see what was wrong. My heart dropped. It was such a horrible scream.

At the front of the garden, Jaxon was frantically gripping Dmitry's leg, holding it back from accidentally stepping on a patch of primroses.

"He almost stepped on Corrina!" Jaxon shrieked, eyeing his plant like a prized possession.

"I didn't mean to, now let me go!" Dmitry yanked his leg away.

I heaved a deep sigh, "We thought someone was hurt."

"Someone almost _did_ get hurt! Corrina!"

I could see Emmeline was amused.

Titania ran through us, Alvaro chasing her. We were interrupted by their squealing and Jaxon following them to make sure the rest of his plants remained safe. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Wait until Papa hears about this!" I chuckled. "Unless the children beat me to it."

"Yes, of course." Dmitry replied, folding his arms again. "Come on, I've had enough of the garden. How about we go visit the rest of the townsfolk? They would love to hear more of your stories."

"Oh, well, I don't want to overwhelm Emmeline, and I promised her she would get to meet Papa."

"Papa will understand. Plus, he isn't ready for company." Dmitry spoke too fast. Something wasn't right.

"What do you mean?" I replied, "Is he not doing well?"

"Yes, just fine. Now let's go see the village–"

"Please, you don't have to protect me. I can tell that there's something wrong."

He feigned confusion. "Protecting you?"

"Fine, I'll go without you." I turned to leave and almost did before Dmitry grabbed my shoulders.

"Winter, wait!" His smile had completely vanished and his chest heaved. "I... was trying to keep you from Papa because he's sick."

I froze. "How sick?"

"Not deathly, he just looks really weak. I promise it isn't as bad as it looks! I just didn't want you to worry."

"I hope you're telling the truth."

"I am. I promise. I just know how much you tend to worry about Papa when given a reason." I couldn't argue with that.

"I still want to see him. Do you think it would be a bad time to introduce Emmeline?"

"No. I am sure he would be happy to meet her."

...

Papa's house was quiet when we arrived, all accept for soft voices coming from the bedroom. Only one of them I recognized and it was Ana.

"Is Papa contagious?" I asked, wanting to know before I brought Emmeline any further.

Dmitry shook his head. "According to the healer, no. He's new to our village, but he seems to have a vast understanding of medicine. I trust him."

"If you trust him, then I trust him." I smiled weakly, trying to hide my worry.

Emmeline held onto my arm as we walked into the bedroom, all growing silent as the eyes turned up to see us. Ana was folding sheets and the healer was helping Papa drink a vile of grey liquid. I frowned at the scene. Papa looked so frail from the last time I saw him.

"Are you one of his sons?" The healer asked me once the vile had been emptied and set on the bedside table.

"I am." I replied softly. "My name is Winter. This is Emmeline." The healer nodded to us both.

"I suppose you would like to hear the condition of your father." He said, pausing as if collecting his words. "He will live. The disease makes him look weaker than he is, but with the condition of his immune system, it looks as if he will fight it off on his own without the cure."

I closed my eyes and breathed out in relief. Papa would live. That's all I needed to hear.

"Winter...?" Papa's hoarse voice could be heard from the bed. I turned my eyes towards him and rushed over. Emmeline followed.

"I'm here." I said and knelt down, taking his shaking hand in mine. Emmeline knelt beside me in respect.

"You came back." His eyes glistened with tears. "You came back so soon."

"I had to." I replied, my eyes glossing over. "I had to because I found what I was looking for. This... is Emmeline."

Papa smiled. It was so kind and filled with recognition.

"I have seen you in my visions. You were the one Winter set out to find." He shakily reached for her and she took his hand. "H-How good it is for you to come..."

"Your visions?" Her eyes widened slightly as she looked from Papa to me and back.

"Papa's gift..." I explained. "He has visions of the future."

"It is so wonderful to see... so–" he broke into a fit of harsh coughing and Ana hurried over with a glass of fresh water.

"Easy now." She soothed. "Just drink this."

My heart ached to see Papa this way. It was unfair, and I worried greatly, even if the healer said he would survive.

"I need to stay and help him get his strength back." I spoke, looking to Ana and then apologetically at Emmeline. "I think you should go back to Earth." I explained. "At least until Papa is strong again. I need to help him."

"Of course. Take as long as you need." She smiled comfortingly, "I'll be waiting for you."

Reflecting the comfort through my eyes and smile, I reached up to brush her cheek. She was then sent back with the compass.


	11. Chapter 11: Stay With Me

I felt lied to. Cheated. Even robbed as I could no longer feel a lift in my spirit from walking through the hall to Emmeline's apartment. What a torturous trick to be told Papa would survive. For a week, I clung to those words. Now, all we knew was the disease had grown. He was wasting away, not unlike the joy I felt only a few days ago.

How would I tell Emmeline? Would I open that door and tell her plainly? That our journey would have to be canceled and she must stay on Earth with Rebecca? She would be so disappointed, but I could not withhold the truth.

Every step felt slower than the last until I had nearly convinced myself to turn back. This was not the outcome I wanted. I was already so afraid.

My fist was knocking on the door before I even became conscious of it. There was no backing out. Our eyes had already met.

"Winter!" She breathed, wrapping her arms around my neck. It was so comforting to feel her embrace.

"Emmeline…" I ached for more words but couldn't form them. She pulled back and looked at me straight.

"What's been happening on Vanaheim? How is your father? I've been so worried, even Rebecca."

"Is she here?"

"No, she's gone to work. Will you come in?"

I shook my head. "I will say this briefly."

My heart was hurting and a silence was held. I swallowed. Her eyes showed empathy and concern for me. How could I say this?

"I came back to tell both you and Rebecca that our journey will have to be canceled… for at least a little while. The healer was mistaken. My father is dying from the disease and we can no longer foresee a future ahead of him. There will be mourning for days after his passing and I… I was not ready for this. I haven't felt such pain in a very long time."

Emmeline's eyes glossed as she held my hands. A strength in her grew, a strength I did not possess.

"Take me back to Vanaheim."

Her words struck me. "What?"

"Take me back and let me see if I can help your father. I'm a trained nurse, there must be something I can do."

"Emmeline, we don't even know if there is anything more we _can_ do."

"But I won't just let you go through this alone! My purpose is to help people physically and emotionally. Take me to your home. Please…"

I was overcome with emotion, I no longer knew how to feel. My lips met her cheek while my vision blurred behind the tears of relief. With her, I would not feel alone in this battle for my father's life.

"_Now_, come in. I won't let you leave me that easily." Emmeline teased, tempting me to smile. I stepped in, remembering the wonderful but brief time we spent in the small, drafty apartment. I couldn't help but notice the familiar smell of roses, but the old vase of them on the table emitted a smell of mildew with them. I reprimanded myself for grimacing.

Emmeline walked towards her room but turned around right before disappearing from view, asking, "How much should I pack?"

"Your essentials?" I shrugged. "Bring what you'd like, but I would be happy to give you clothing from Vanaheim."

"No, I have enough clothes. I don't need to take from others." She replied passively and pulled a duffle bag off a shelf. I followed into her room sheepishly, glancing at the interior decorated as cute as Emmeline's personality.

"Do you need help with anything?" Staring mindlessly at the wall, I waited for a response, but I didn't hear Emmeline speak.

"Winter? Could you stuff all these clothes in here?" She repeated after handing me the bag. Nodding, I did as I was told as she left the room for a minute.

"Are you sure you're alright coming back to Vanaheim with me?" I asked when she returned, my voice soft and ridden with emotion. "I don't know how long my Papa will be sick… or how the outcome will be. And I don't want to keep you from your home."

"Winter." Her voice was firm but kindness emerged from the look in her eyes. "I told you. I want to help you, and I'm not leaving your side." Her smile grew soft. "Because I care."

My shoulders relaxed as I set the clothes down in her suitcase. "I really don't deserve you." She handed me another small pile to pack in there and we went back and forth like that, Emmeline sometimes changing her mind on what to bring and having me dig one of her shirts out from the bottom.

She tried to keep our conversation alive, but my mind was far away. Soon, I was unaware of my body and surroundings. My thoughts were alone with me, and all of my fears. With every minute that passed, Papa was getting choked tighter by death's unholy grip. With every breath I took, Papa was one breath shorter. I unintentionally dropped the clothes and looked at her window, the clouds a dark grey while the leaves blew by in a strong wind.

"Hey, Winter." Her voice grew a little louder, jumping me back to what was real. "Are you okay?"

"I, um…" I swallowed. "Yeah, I just got distracted."

Taking a step closer to me, her eyes softened.

"Of course you're not okay… I'll hurry so we can go."

My voice broke. "Thank you."

"Take us to him. We've wasted enough time already." I appreciated the urgency in her voice. It was comforting to have Emmeline's support.

After haphazardly stuffing her bag, she slung it over her shoulder and turned to face me. Her hands cupped under mine when I pulled the compass from my pocket. I barely felt us lift away.

The atmosphere changed and I knew we had arrived. Emmeline gave my hands a gentle squeeze. We appeared in front of Papa's home, the white temple was nothing but somber.

"He's been unconscious since you left." Dmitry spoke, his voice low. His arms were crossed as he leaned his body weight against the wall, shielding himself from revealing his pain.

"Is he getting worse?" I asked, to which Dmitry nodded.

"You need to talk to the healer. There is bad news. He is inside now." Putting his arm around my shoulder, Dmitry led me and Emmeline inside.

The healer lifted his head when the door to the bedroom opened, his sharp eyes meeting mine.

"Ah, you've returned." He spoke, looking downward once more to check Papa's dwindling pulse. "I insisted that we wait for you before I say what is to become of your father."

He stepped closer to us, hands clasped behind his back while his gaze grew solemn. A terrible silence fell.

"Yes?" I asked, eager for him to speak. My eyes were full of mist.

"As you might have already suspected, your father is near death." The healer replied. "He does not have long to live, two weeks at most. This disease… it started as a normal chronic illness, but now, I see it eating him away. His mind is unresponsive… and I can no longer sense his life's energy. I have never seen anything like this before."

"So what can we do?" Emmeline asked, her voice pleading.

"Nothing. We simply make him as comfortable as we can until he passes. I… I am sorry."

The healer turned to pack up his things and in that moment, the tears were overwhelming. I closed my eyes, trying to will them away as the ache in my heart grew worse.

"Wait." I said, quiet but firm. "You said there was a cure." I couldn't bear to open my eyes. I felt disconnected. I didn't belong here. None of us did.

Putting on his coat, the healer replied, "So I did." He did not speak further.

"Please!" I begged, my tone a harsh whisper. "What is the cure? Tell me."

Pausing in his task, the healer faced me again, straightening.

"There is a cure, although not many would attempt to find it."

"I would do anything."

"Would you? Even risking your own life? Losing one to save another seems hardly worth the risk."

"What makes it so dangerous?" Asked Emmeline, then she looked at me with a worried expression. She knew that I would risk my life.

"Because we would be dealing with the energy and balance of our universe, my dear. When it comes to a disease such as this, the only cure would be to reverse the damage and the sickness itself. Since it has already begun to eat him away, even if we were to stop the disease, permanent damage has already been done. Reversing the sickness is possible, only with the fractal of healing."

"This is irrational. You are saying that we must reverse time to heal him?" Dmitry cut in, unconvinced by the healer's words.

"You think I'm foolish."

"Yes. I do. Speak of this fractal. Enlighten me."

The healer took a breath, perhaps to even his patience. "You have heard of the Infinity Stones and their existence with the beginning of creation. But when our universe gave birth to life, three shards were torn from each stone and scattered abroad. Since then, the shards have evolved from the Stones' powers. People have feared collecting them, for they are the balance of our universe. The fractal of healing is one of three that was carved from the Time Stone, and not many know of its existence."

"And you know?" Dmitry questioned, his demeanor untrusting. "How?"

"Traveling. I am sure Winter could understand. It is the _only_ cure. And that is your choice, but this is all that I can offer."

"Will I be able to find it in time?" I asked, opening my eyes with a new sense of determination.

"I believe so."

"Winter, please. You need to think about this." Dmitry advised as Emmeline watched me with growing anxiety.

"We don't have time to think." I snapped back before turning to the healer, "I am willing to go. Tell me everything you know."

...

_Winter: He explained to us that we would have to go to the planet Cavonon in the outer regions near Alfheim. The three fractals of the Time Stone were held there._

_Layten: Weren't you suspicious of the healer's knowledge?_

_Winter: Yes, but not enough to stop me. He possessed strange knowledge that no one else did, but it did not strike me as strange until we were far too indulged in our adventure._

_Layten: And I assume Emmeline came along._

_Winter: Yes… she wouldn't have it any other way. _


End file.
